As We Walk Through Elysian Fields
by bbloodandvvelvet
Summary: Upon returning from the second Makai Tournament, Shuichi Minamino reverts back to his ways as a twenty year old college student, doing his best to find satisfaction while leading a normal human existence. Following an unexpected encounter, life as he has come to know it begins to change. Fairly canon, with some creative liberates taken. Rated Mature for further chapters/language.
1. Chapter 1 - A Chance Encounter

Shuichi Minamino was tired.

It had been nearly a week since his return from the Demon Realm—the second triennial Makai Tournament had proven to be just as intense as the first, and while he had sustained a loss during the finals, Hiei had emerged victorious.

It had been with fierce pride that Shuichi had witnessed his dear friend's coronation, knowing full well that he would make a fine king for the world of demons. In truth, Hiei's victory had come as a relief to the now twenty year old Shuichi—this year's tournament had attracted almost twice the amount of competitors as the first, and there had been quite a few apparitions among the ranks who would have sought to ruin the carefully balanced peace put into effect by the realm's previous king, Enki.

Hiei may have come off as brash, even cruel at times, but he was no fool—his very first decree as king had been to keep all of the prior laws in place, understanding just how truly beneficial they had proven to be over the course of the three years hence. He had assigned a new overseer to the taskforce whose duties were to monitor the boundaries between realms and return all wayward humans to safety—a job that had once been his own during Enki's rule. He had also named his lover, Mukuro, as his head advisor. Shuichi believed that she would do well at such a position, now that she had managed to cast off her previously vicious and power-hungry mentality. The once self-proclaimed rightful ruler of Demon World, despite her prior faults, was a smart match for the new king—they shared a unique bond, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes that they were well suited to one another. Shuichi had no doubt that her influence on Hiei would prove to be a positive thing.

While Shuichi was easily accepting of his dismissal from the tournament, Yusuke hadn't been pleased upon his own defeat, although he too was happy with the overall end result. He admitted that, had he been the one to triumph, it would have been a rather troublesome endeavor. Shortly after his return to the Human Realm almost a year prior, he had finally asked Keiko to marry him—she had readily agreed to his proposal, of course, and had been most unhappy when her fiancée had informed her of his intentions to participate in further tournaments.

Upon the rendezvous of Team Urameshi's key members within the Demon Realm, Yusuke had revealed to Shuichi that they had gotten into a heated argument in the hours prior to his departure. It was no secret that Keiko wanted Yusuke to remain with her in the mortal realm and forsake his participation, but the Mazoku hadn't been willing to agree to such terms. He was living a fairly normal life now, working as a cook at the Yukimura's noodle shop—he had even gotten his own apartment, and spent nearly all of his free time in Keiko's company. To participate in the tournament once more had been something he was actively looking forward to, and he believed it to be unfair that Keiko would attempt to refuse him such a thing.

Privately, Shuichi believed that their relationship, despite its many years, was ultimately doomed to fail. Yusuke would never be willing to part with the desires of his demon side, and Keiko would never approve of said desires. He was of the mindset that Yusuke himself had also experienced such a revelation, but was either unwilling to accept the truth or loath to act upon it. There was no doubt that he loved Keiko, but he couldn't force himself into the bland lifestyle she was insisting upon. Time would be the deciding factor for that ordeal. Yusuke was who he had always been—a notoriously stubborn individual who saw fit to live his life as he pleased—eventually, he would accept that his childhood love was detrimental to that concept and cast her off. It was either that or conform, and Shuichi would wager all the wealth in Demon World that he would do no such thing.

Much to his delight, Kuwabara had joined their group as a contender for the tournament this time around—it was no secret that he had been rather unhappy to be left out of the previous one. He had certainly earned the title of the strongest human fighter in the mortal world, and truth be told, he had no desire to be king. He had only wished to participate in the tournament for the sake of metaphorically stretching his legs, and he had done well, making it all the way to the semi-finals before finally being beaten. He and Shuichi had grown rather close over the course of the past year, as they were both now attending the same university—despite their different academic years and class loads, they often met up in the campus library to study or complete homework. Much like Shuichi, Kazuma also held down a part-time job while attending school as a full-time student—it certainly kept both of them busy. Seeing as the majority of Yusuke's time was occupied by Keiko, he and Kuwabara's friendship was still present, but undeniably not as close as before—but they made due as best they could, and cherished the time they did get to have together.

Fortunately, the second Makai Tournament had fallen during the course of summer break, and Shuichi had been able to devise a clever school-related excuse pertaining to his absence for the two weeks he was away. His mother hadn't questioned him, only wished him well and asked that he check in on occasion. His step-father hadn't been overtly pleased, for it was his café where Shuichi was employed, and thus he had to get creative with the schedule to have his shifts covered for the duration of his non-attendance—luckily, he hadn't complained much. Kokoda, his younger step-brother, had been sour towards him for leaving—they had made plans to attend a concert, and the event just so happened to coincide with Shuichi's trip, so they had been unable to go. He had promised to make it up to the teenager upon his return, but Kokoda had still been rankled at the cancellation. Fortunately, he had come around and had been happy to have Shuichi return home, hugging him tightly upon his arrival to the Minamino-Hatanaka house.

As it were, the fall semester of university was set to begin in just a week's time, and Shuichi felt as if he were ill prepared. He was enrolled for a full-time course load, but had realized that one of the classes he had signed up for had been deleted without explanation from his schedule, so he was on his way over to Chishiki No Eda to get the issue sorted out. Despite having healed satisfactorily from the wounds sustained during his bouts at the tournament, he was still rather sore, his limbs tender and back throbbing—it was potent enough that it had been cutting into his sleep, so he was fairly exhausted as he made his way down to the rail depo of Kaiden City, intent on catching the orange line into the nearby hub of Osaka. Most days, Shuichi would have opted to ride his bike over to campus—it wasn't a long journey, perhaps twenty minutes or so, but today, with the weather being bitter and gray and the deeply seated ache in his bones, he had decided to indulge a more convenient method of travel.

Fortunately for him, the train station was only a five minute walk from his university, but he marched quickly, for it was nearing lunch hour and he didn't want to have to camp out in the guidance office and wait to meet with a councilor. He was set to work the closing shift at the café that evening, and desired to squeeze in a quick nap between his obligations, so the faster he completed his visit, the better. Perhaps thirty minutes later, Shuichi emerged from the guidance wing, a pleased smile on his face—the cancellation of his course had been a bug within the university system, and his councilor had managed to correct the mistake with little hassle. Now all he had to do was make his way back home, climb back into the warm confines of his bed, and hopefully grab a few sweet hours of rest before work.

He was ambling his way through the quad when the minute vibrations of his phone caught his attention. He paused in his stride and freed the phone from the pocket of his slacks, glancing curiously down at the screen. It was a text message from his mother, asking him to stop by the market on his way home to grab some fresh milk and jasmine rice. Shuichi sighed at the unanticipated request, but quickly replied with his compliance.

The redhead was in the process of slipping his phone back into the confines of his pants when he casually glanced out across the quad, and caught an unanticipated flash of color against the stark gray of the main campus hall. Upon further scrutiny, he realized that it was another student, one he was unfamiliar with. This came as no surprise, for Chishiki No Eda was a large university with a vast student body. Still, he was almost intrigued—the campus was devoid of life, and the weather was proving troublesome—he actually winced as yet another howling gale of wind roared passed him, prompting him to clutch tighter at the lapel of his jacket. He began to walk once more, his attention vaguely drawn to the only other presence in the enormous courtyard.

As he drew closer, Shuichi realized that his unnamed companion was a petite female—she was either American or European, he could clearly tell so by the shape of her eyes and delicate heart curve of her face. She had long, wavy hair a striking shade of deep copper, and alabaster skin, dressed in a dove gray pea-coat, an olive green scarf, and form-fitting dark blue jeans, neatly tucked into calf length black suede boots—the colors she wore should have clashed poorly with the striking shade of her hair, but somehow managed to compliment instead. Upon closer inspection, Shuichi realized that she was quite attractive, with a tiny nose, rosebud lips, and a womanly sway to her hips as she sauntered forward, heading in the direction of the library.

Abruptly, she paused in mid-step, and turned in his direction, as though she could feel the pressure of his inquisitive gaze upon her form, her face filling with mild curiosity. A gaggle of fallen leaves shed by the many trees that filled the courtyard suddenly whipped around her person in a flurry of greens and browns, but she appeared unaffected by it. It was almost as if she were controlling the squalling wind around her like some sort of pagan goddess, a thought that only served to further his intrigue of her.

The girl stared over at him with wide eyes for a long moment before a warm smile crossed her lips and she raised her hand in silent greeting, unconcerned that he was a complete stranger to her. Even with the considerable distance still lingering between them, Shuichi could make out the odd hue of her eyes, a subtle combination of gold and green, ringed by thick, dark lashes, and the adorable collection of freckles that embellished her kind, welcoming face. Without warning or understanding, something deep within Shuichi's gut tingled, and his mouth went dry as he inhaled sharply.

The urge to speak to her came at him with unanticipated force, but he bit it back, uncertain about the sudden rush of want that had flooded his person in response to her friendly gesture. Instead, he raised his hand in kind, politely returning her smile for a lengthy second before she continued along on her way, breaking the gaze they had been momentarily sharing. He paused in his stride several yards from where their paths would have crossed if different timing had been in play, and glanced over his shoulder at her retreating form, internally curious.

Either she was completely oblivious to his following stare, or simply disregarded it, but he watched her from afar until she reached her destination and stepped through the library doors. Upon her disappearance, it was as if he came too, awakening from the trance he had somehow fallen into while in the midst of her presence. Shuichi began walking once again, forcing himself to focus on the tasks that awaited him. However, even throughout the course of the train ride, his quick trip to the market and finally, his venture into the comfortable familiarity of his home, he found himself unable to shake the thought of her entirely from his mind. To make matters worse, he realized that he was entertaining the hope of seeing her again in the future, despite the odds of such an encounter.

He awoke later, feeling a great deal better, his nap having been more restful than he had hoped for. After a quick shower, he donned his uniform, and walked the four blocks over into the downtown district of Kaiden, making it over to the Koeda Café nearly fifteen minutes prior to the start of his shift. His step-father, Kazuya, fixed him with a brief nod in greeting as he walked behind the counter and headed to the back to clock in. Much to Shuichi's good fortune, his shift passed by rather quickly, with a small rush near supper, but little else. He was in the midst of finishing up the remainder of the evening's dirty dishes when his step-father appeared in the back and gave him leave to head home a few minutes early.

Shuichi was grateful for the reprieve, and did as he was bid, making it home just in time to greet his mother as she walked in the door, having worked later than her usual hours. Together, they cooked dinner, with Kazuya making it home just in time for them to sit and enjoy a family meal. Once everything was tidied up, Kokoda requested that Shuichi play some videogames with him, and even though it was hardly a favorite pastime of his, he willingly obliged. Some hours later, he returned to the privacy of his room and settled into bed, falling asleep within minutes of resting his head. For reasons unknown, his dreams were dominated by the nameless girl, with her fiery hair kissed by the wind, her verdant eyes, his name on her lips, spoken in a sweet, melodic voice he had yet to hear.

_'"__Shuichi…"'_

_. . . _

It was the eve before the first day of the fall semester—the week had neatly flown past, filled with preparations, family obligations, and evening work shifts. Shuichi's step-father had been kind enough to allow him the night off so that he would be well rested for his morning classes, and for that, the redhead was grateful. He hadn't intended on doing much for the day, but a text message from Kazuma, asking him to dinner at the Yukimura's noodle shop, had thwarted that plan. Seeing as he hadn't laid eyes on his friends since their goodbyes at the conclusion of the tournament, Shuichi felt compelled to attend, and he was certainly glad that he had. He now sat in a booth alongside Kazuma, with Yusuke and Keiko perched along the opposite side of the table. Empty bowls littered the surface, evidence of a delicious lunch, while they sat there, enjoying each other's company and drinking warm matcha tea that was a welcomed comfort in sight of the poor weather outside.

"So Shuichi, you ready for class tomorrow?" Kuwabara inquired, taking a long sip of his beverage. "I know I'm not—summer flew by way too fast."

"Of course he's ready, it's Kur…Shuichi," Yusuke interjected, then shot Shuichi an apologetic glance. It had proven quite difficult for the Mazoku to become accustomed to using his human name, and while he had improved drastically, he found himself often slipping up and nearly referring to him by his old alias. Shuichi didn't find that he minded it too much—at least he was making a true effort to adhere to his request. It just hadn't felt right to continue going by the name Kurama for the time being—he had given up on that part of his life in favor of pursuing a mortal existence, one where he was Shuichi and Shuichi only. Not to say that Kurama for dead for the rest of eternity, but for now, he was buried down deep, not to see the true light of day until the time came when his human family no longer needed him.

Much like Kuwabara, he had no true desire to win the Makai Tournament and be named king of Demon World, but had participated simply for the enjoyment of doing so, as well as for the sake of his friends. He had worn Kurama's face for that short period, but had quickly returned it to its mental holding. Odds were that it wouldn't be revealed again until the coming of the next tournament, and that was three years in the future, if he decided to participate. As it was, he was on the fence about such a thing, knowing he couldn't truly commit to his human façade if he indulged in such a manner. But the time for that decision was a far way off, and for now, he opted to not consider it.

"I am ready, but truthfully, it was a nice break," he offered with a small smile. "This semester will be more challenging than the previous one, and I'm rather looking forward to it."

"I knew you were gonna say that!" Kazuma exclaimed, shaking his head. "What about you, Keiko? You ready for class?"

"I am, but Narau doesn't begin for another week," the tiny brunette said, stroking a stray strand of thick, dark hair behind her ear as she spoke. "I haven't even gone clothes shopping for the new semester yet. We should go tomorrow when you're done with your shift, Yusuke."

"Ugh, more shopping? We just went shopping earlier today!" Yusuke grumbled, his lips pulling into a deep frown of annoyance. "How many clothes do you need, anyway?"

"Well, unlike you, I like to change it up from time to time instead of wearing the same shirt for several days in a row," she retorted with a mild scowl contorting her features. "And for the record, I don't have _that_ many clothes!"

"C'mon, Keiko, you go to an all girls school, you don't need to impress anyone," Yusuke shot back, rolling his eyes. "And you own more clothes than anyone I know. Shopping sucks, can't you go with somebody else? I'm sure Shizuru would—"

"It's not about the actual shopping, you dolt, it's about spending time together!" Keiko barked, obviously off-put by her fiancée's unwillingness to agree with her. Without warning, she slipped out of the booth and rose to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring over at Yusuke with anger in her dark brown eyes.

"I'm going to get back to work. You have eleven minutes left on your break, so don't be late," she huffed, then spun around and stomped off towards the back of the small restaurant.

"Err…wow," Kuwabara offered quietly, his eyes wide at the heated exchange that had just played out.

"It's been like this ever since I left for the tournament," Yusuke replied dryly, shrugging his shoulders. "She can be such a brat when she doesn't get her way…"

"Well, on a good note, Yukina's gonna be in town in two weeks—Shizuru's letting her stay with us," Kuwabara announced, his face breaking out into a wide smile. "We'll all have to hang out together while she's here."

Yusuke appeared to lighten up considerably at this news.

"Good, maybe she'll take bossy britches off my ass for a while," he reflected with a hopeful grin. "Yukina likes to shop too, right?"

"It'll be nice to see her," Shuichi interjected before Kazuma could reply. "Perhaps I should get a message to Hiei once we have an outing planned, and see if he can join us?"

"He'll probably be way too busy doing king stuff to come," Kuwabara responded knowingly. He was still not privy to the fact that Hiei and Yukina were siblings, and out of respect (and fear) for Hiei, no one had dared to inform him.

"It's likely that he will, but an invitation does no harm," Shuichi offered, taking a hearty gulp of his finely bitter tea.

"Is Grandma coming, too?" Yusuke asked, suddenly curious. He hadn't seen his mentor in nearly a year, and although he would never admit it to anyone who asked, he missed Genkai's gruff manner and sarcastic remarks more than he ever believed possible.

"Nah, she's out of town for the next two months," Kuwabara replied with a shrug. "Visiting a friend in Italy, or something."

"Well, that blows," Yusuke responded, looking obviously disappointed.

"Seven minute warning!" Keiko's shrill voice suddenly trilled from the back of the shop, immediately prompting Yusuke to roll his eyes with contempt.

"Yes, boss!" he shouted back, furiously snatching up his cup and drinking down the last of his beverage. A long silence fell over the table, filled with palpable tension.

"Perhaps you should try talking to her," Shuichi offered softly, meeting Yusuke's hard stare.

"I'd have better luck getting through to a brick wall," the Mazoku responded bitterly. "I've tried talking to her—she just doesn't wanna hear it."

"That hardly bodes well…"

"No shit it doesn't."

"C'mon, Urameshi, it's Keiko! You know she'll get over it eventually," Kazuma offered, attempting to be reassuring.

"Yeah, after she's done being a total bitch about everything," came the harsh reply.

"Hey, that's your fiancée! You shouldn't call her that!"

"Well, that's what she's being!"

"Five minute warning!"

"Ugh, whatever!" Yusuke growled, throwing up his hands in defeat. "I'm just gonna head back now to shut her up already. I'll catch you guys later."

Shuichi and Kazuma waved their tentative goodbyes as Yusuke rose to his feet and stormed off into the kitchen, grumbling beneath his breath and looking on the verge of murder.

Kuwabara whistled softly, shaking his head. "Things don't look so great for them," he reflected quietly, staring down forlornly into his half empty tea cup.

"I'd have to agree. But that is the nature of their relationship," Shuichi replied with a sigh. "Rather volatile, but isn't that how they've always been?"

"I guess…it just seems worse than usual."

"I do believe that it is. She wasn't pleased about his participation in the tournament. Apparently, she's still in a foul mood over it."

"Seems so. I'm glad Yukina's not like that…"

"In that respect, you are quite fortunate," Shuichi replied with a small smirk.

"Speaking of girlfriends, are you still seeing that one girl? Kimeko? Or was it Kameko?"

"Kanaka, and no. Our relationship had run its course, so I ended it, right at the beginning of break," Shuichi responded flatly. The mention of his former lover of almost a year put a decidedly bad taste in his mouth—it hadn't been an overly fulfilling union, and he had realized about six months in that he wasn't as fond of her as he first believed himself to be, but he had kept the façade going out of some misplaced sense of courtesy. His mother had quite liked her, but she was fairly vapid and their conversations were no longer stimulating to him—even the sex had become mundane. Unfortunately, this was commonplace when it came to Shuichi's relationships—things would start out promising, but then he would become bored. Perhaps it was because of his past as Yoko Kurama, where he had a different woman in his bed each and every night of the week—whatever the case, he had finally broke things off with her. She had cried, of course, and begged him to reconsider, but Shuichi had been adamant about their separation. She had taken the hint then, and stopped speaking to him, which had ultimately come as a relief.

"Damn, that's lame—she was pretty hot."

"Being attractive doesn't count for much if there's no substance to back it up, Kazuma."

"True…well, I'm sure you'll find another hottie soon—Chishiki No Eda got plenty of 'em around, that's for sure."

"I didn't think you'd be looking," Shuichi replied almost sternly, but his words were peppered with mild amusement.

"I'm not! I mean, I love Yukina with all of my heart and would never even dream about messing with anyone else, but looking doesn't hurt, right?" Kuwabara retorted defensively.

"No, I suppose it doesn't," Shuichi responded thoughtfully.

"Besides, none of those girls could ever hold a candle to my Yukina! She's perfect!"

A soft chuckle escaped Shuichi at his friend's declaration, while Kazuma suddenly dissolved into a full-blown explanation of why his beloved was without flaw. Shuichi tuned out most of his self involved conversation, instead silently considering the words from prior in their discussion. Kazuma was indeed correct—their university certainly hosted a diversity of attractive females, many of which who had already shown ample interest in sharing their attention with him. However, it was the mental image of the unnamed female from that day while walking the quad that suddenly appeared within his mind's eye, and Shuichi once again felt that strange tingle deep within the confines of his belly. He found himself wondering if he would ever encounter her again—there were thousands of students who attended Chishiki No Eda, and so many different schedules. It seemed in bad form to hope for such a thing, but he found himself entertaining the idea, nonetheless.

Not too long later, Shuichi and Kuwabara said their goodbyes, and each set off for home, heading their respective ways out from the noodle shop. Seeing as it was a Sunday evening, Kaiden City's downtown district was rather empty—it was just coming up on eight in the evening, and most of the shops had already shuttered their doors for the day. Shuichi walked in pleasant silence, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his overcoat as he ambled on. As night had fallen, the air had grown chill, but the wind had calmed itself, which came as a welcomed reprieve. He reached the end of his block, pausing to wait for the crosswalk, and staring mindlessly out into the distance. His gaze caught wind of an approaching form, and focused on it for a brief moment. Only then did his mind make the connection—it was the girl from the courtyard! There she was, plain as day, walking forth from the opposing direction. She was clad in the same gray coat, carrying a large brown paper bag bearing the logo of the local market across the front. Her copper hair gleamed under the light emitted by the streetlamps, lending it an ethereal glow.

Shuichi felt his breath catch in his throat, and his mouth went dry, even as he attempted to swallow. But before he was given the pedestrian right of way to walk, she stepped off the side walk, heading for the small apartment building that sat on the diagonal corner, having failed to notice his presence. He watched as she effortlessly made her way up the stairs, and paused in front of a door on the second floor, presumably to unlock it. She disappeared inside, pushing the door shut behind her. Thanks to his adept vision, he could make out the apartment number as posted upon the door in wide silver numbers—204.

Suddenly, Shuichi felt hot and cold all at once. So lost in his thoughts was he that he nearly missed the light for the crosswalk, racing across the lines with only seconds to spare. Slowly, he slipped past her apartment building, staring over it as his legs carried him onward. The odds that she lived on the very same block as he did were beyond scarce, and yet, it was reality, plain and simple. He hardly remembered the rest of his venture home—he nearly missed a greeting from his mother while walking to his room, abruptly feeling as if he needed a cold shower. Kokoda met him in the hallway, asking him to play a game, but he quietly refused, citing that he was tired and heading to bed.

Once within the sanctuary of his room, Shuichi forced himself to concentrate, double checking to make certain that his school satchel was packed and his clothes for the next day were laid out and ready to be worn. Content with his preparations, he headed for the bathroom he shared with his step-brother and took a quick shower. He felt more like himself afterwards, and treated himself to a cup of warm chamomile tea before retreating to his room for the night. Unfortunately, sleep did not come easily, his mind wandering sullenly through the extensive plane of his thoughts as he desperately tried to quell his over-active conscience.

He felt one thing was for absolutely certain—he would see her again, and it would be sometime in the very near future. The notion provided him a sense of comfort, and finally, Shuichi surrendered to the lull of slumber, the question of her name perched upon his lips.


	2. Chapter 2 - Carried By The Wind

Davina MacKenna was anxious.

It was only her third day as an official resident of the country of Japan, and the moving process had been a ghastly nightmare to say the least. Luckily, the last of her furniture and boxes had arrived late yesterday morning, and her one bedroom apartment was starting to come together nicely enough. It was an exceedingly far cry from her childhood home within the city of Denver, thousands of miles away in the state of Colorado back in America, but it was recently renovated and clean. She was grateful that her mother had managed to find such a place outside of Osaka, but still in close proximity to her university—while she was used to the hustle and bustle of city life, she knew from experience that Osaka's commotion was quite different from Denver's, with many more people living and working within the city. Davina could recall the handful of trips she had taken there with her family during her younger years, and held no desire to join the ever-in-motion rabble.

Hell, she hadn't even wanted to attend university in Japan, but her mother had insisted—she claimed that the Japanese educational system was far superior to that offered in the states, and she wasn't incorrect in her thinking. After all, Mitsuyo Mackenna, previously Mitsuyo Ishihara, was a native of Japan, born and raised within Osaka herself. She had insisted that Davina, her youngest child and only daughter, attend her alma mater, a specialty college by the name of Chishiki No Eda, known for its proficiency in science and technology. Mitsuyo herself was an electrical engineer, and credited her many successes to the education she had received while attending. Davina, who had spent the majority of her eighteen years of life living in America, hadn't been amenable to the idea—her entire life was in Denver, and she was loath to leave it all behind.

Initially, she had argued that it wasn't fair—her two older brothers, who were six and eight years her senior, had both attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which happened to be her father's alma mater, for similar degrees. While Boston was a good distance away, it was still within the same country. But her argument had fallen on deaf ears, and in the end, her mother had gotten her way, just as she usually did. Her father, Jason, had tried to interfere on her behalf, but he had never been one for confrontation, and had quickly abandoned his efforts, much to her displeasure. Arrangements had been made, and now here she was, half a world away from everything and everyone she cared about.

Perhaps things would have been easier to swallow if this move had happened several years prior, before her mother's parents, who had lived in Osaka, had passed away—at least then, she would have some family fairly close by. Her only benefits were that she was fluent in the Japanese language and familiar enough with the customs and mannerisms of her new surroundings—it wasn't much, but it was something, and Davina was doing her best to remain optimistic. She found herself wishing that she hadn't been such a model student during her high school years—if she hadn't bothered taking advanced placement classes and busting her ass to maintain a near perfect GPA, odds were she wouldn't be in her current situation. But what was done was done, and she would acclimate, with time.

Unpacking was a monster of a chore, and her whole body ached from the effort—between shifting around her furniture and emptying out box after box, Davina was both mentally and physically exhausted. She had been up with the sun, trying to piece her new home together, and felt as if she might go mad if she continued on her current path. After some consideration, she decided to take a quick trip into Osaka to scout out her to-be school. A change of scenery certainly couldn't hurt, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to get familiar with the campus prior to the start of the semester. So she paused in her efforts, took a delightfully long hot shower, dressed comfortably, and walked the few blocks over to the train depo to catch the orange line. She was delighted to discover that her university was only a short walk away from the rail station, and she had made it to her destination in far less time than she had first anticipated.

The campus of Chishiki No Eda was vast, and much more impressive than she thought it would be—she wandered from building to building, taking it all in with silent wonder. For nearly an hour, she explored the campus, seeing all until only one destination remained—the library. From what her mother had told her, it was a bookworm's wet dream, four stories high, with half a floor dedicated solely to private study rooms—it even boasted its own coffee shop on the premises. If such things were true, it was clear just where Davina would be spending the majority of her time while attending—books and coffee were two of her absolutely favorite things, and while she possessed a fairly remarkable collection of books herself, most of them had remained back in Denver due to a significant lack of space within her new apartment. She had brought her favorites, of course, but the selection process had been long and painfully arduous. While she knew that she could easily procure digital versions on her phone and computer, nothing compared to the feeling of physically holding a book in one's hands. To know there was a place easily accessible to her that housed thousands of books eased some of her discontentment. The fact that coffee could be acquired in close proximity was a pleasant bonus.

Eager with anticipation, Davina exited out the side doors of the main campus hall—according to the map she had cleverly pulled up on the internet browser of her cell phone, the library was located almost directly across from where she stood. She glanced across the enormous courtyard and immediately spied her current objective, a stark white sign proudly displaying the kanji script for the word 'library' along the vast middle section window of the building. Smiling in spite of herself, Davina began closing the distance between herself and her goal.

As expected, the campus was utterly empty. Classes weren't scheduled to commence for another week—without students to fill the quad, the courtyard, which was spotted throughout with strategically placed trees and flower covered bushes, green grass and wide stone walkways, seemed ridiculously huge. While already in decent shape, Davina joked to herself that she was going to have calves of steel thanks to all the walking she'd be doing during her time on campus, and over in Kaiden as well. It was a small city, only stretching out over the course of perhaps twelve or so blocks, and her apartment was central to both the downtown district and a local food market. She knew how to drive, but her parents had vetoed the idea of getting her a car—apart from walking, there were many other means of public transportation to get to and from where she needed to go. Davina made a mental note to look into acquiring a bicycle—it would certainly come in handy.

She was nearly halfway there when the realization that she was not alone suddenly dawned upon her—she glanced over to the adjacent walkway, her gaze falling upon a lone figure. From a distance, it appeared female—however, the clothing worn was decidedly that of a male, despite the lengthy, bright red hair. The person in question was standing idle and appeared to be toying with a cell phone, their attention elsewhere. Davina continued along her way, curious, but not wanting to appear overzealous or creepy. The wind whipped past her without warning, causing the leaves that had fallen from the trees to dance around her as if they were sentient. She was just upon the intersected walkway when she felt eyes digging into her, and paused in mid-stride, staring over in the direction she knew to be occupied. The other party had abandoned their phone and walked closer, close enough for Davina to realize that her unnamed companion was indeed male, and a devastatingly handsome one at that. Internally, she fought the urge to stare at him, and lost pathetically.

He had striking green eyes, greener than any eyes she had ever seen before, and good looks reminiscent of a heroic prince in a fairy tale, blessed with a strong nose and sharp jaw line. His vivid hair framed his face in an endearing manner, a face that was boyish but manly all in the same instance. He was dressed simply, in a thick brown overcoat and black slacks, but it suited him well. Suddenly, Davina felt weak in the knees, a deeply set shudder of want vibrating down the length of her back. Their eyes locked in that moment, and almost as if by instinct, she fixed him with a shy smile, raising her hand and giving a short wave of acknowledgment. He seemed to hesitate, if only for the briefest of moments, and then returned her gesture in kind, providing her a small smile of his own.

Davina considered approaching him, but quickly vetoed the idea, suddenly feeling rather timid. Instead, she broke their shared gaze and continued on her way. She could have sworn she felt the press of his eyes against her back, but didn't dare glance backwards to confirm. A sigh of relief escaped her as she approached the library doors, and quickly slipped through them. A gasp of appreciation caught in her throat as she surveyed her new surroundings—the library was everything she had hoped for and then some. She spent the next half an hour, flittering from floor to floor, taking it all in. Sadly, the coffee shop wasn't currently open, but she decided she would treat herself to one upon her return home.

Satisfied with her venture, Davina left the campus of Chishiki No Eda and headed for the rail station. She was back within Kaiden quickly, but not eager to return to her apartment, which was still quite a disaster. Instead, she decided to head into the downtown district and grab herself a well earned cup of hot brew. The Koeda Café was the first place she spotted, and she wandered inside, smiling widely as the delicious scent of fresh brewed coffee invitingly flooded her nostrils. She placed her order, treating herself to a dish of daifuku pastries to accompany her drink. Claiming a small corner table, Davina pulled her phone out of the pocket of her coat and typed up a quick text to her best friend, Selina. The pair had been friends since childhood, and even though it had been less than a week since she had left Denver, Davina missed her terribly.

Her coffee and snack were soon brought to her table by a server, whom she happily thanked and fixed with a pleasant smile. He was an older man with a kind face, large square glasses perched carefully upon his nose.

"Excuse me, miss, but I don't recall ever seeing you around here before," he stated in a friendly manner, having fixed her with a curious stare. "Are you a traveler?"

Davina shook her head, a little taken aback by his forward question, but knowing such a thing wasn't uncommon in her current location.

"No sir, I'm actually new to this city, just moved here a few days ago," she replied, trying not to appear nervous.

"That's wonderful! Welcome to Kaiden! I hope I didn't offend by asking. I just wanted to make sure you weren't lost."

"That's kind of you. To be honest, I'm still learning my way around," she admitted sheepishly. Davina had never been good with directions—if it wasn't for the handy GPS on her phone, she would be in a world of trouble.

"I wouldn't worry too much, it's fairly easy to make your way around here," he responded with a small smile. "I'm sure you'll have it all figured out in a week or two. If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here to Kaiden?"

"I'm a student," she explained. "I'm starting over at Chishiki No Eda University next week."

"That's a very good school—in fact, my step-son is currently attending there. Wants to be a biochemist. Well, I'm certain I've bothered you enough. Please enjoy, and let me know if you need anything else." He fixed her with a short bow and went along his way before she really had a chance to reply.

Davina took a long sip of her coffee, relishing its bittersweet taste, before diving into her pastries, which were absolutely delicious. The bite sized mochi pockets were filled with a sweet matcha cream and dusted in confectioner's sugar, with a tiny pinch of matcha powder sprinkled over the top. It was a damn good thing she'd be doing plenty of walking in the future, with delectable treats such as these so easily accessible to her.

As Davina enjoyed her snack, she found her thoughts drifting to the redheaded male she had encountered during her trip to the university campus. She wondered if she would ever see him again—she certainly wouldn't be disappointed if she did. With a face like that, there was no way in hell he wasn't tied down—or perhaps, he just liked to play the field, racking up names on his sexual roster. She envisioned his eyes, and found herself swallowing hard. If she ever had a favorite color, green was undoubtedly it, and his eyes were like pools of emerald, vivid and mesmerizing—eyes she could easily get lost in.

'_Hold your horses there, girl. You don't even know his name_,' she mentally argued with herself. '_Odds are you'll never run into him again—there are thousands of students at that school. He probably has a fucking fan-club full of admirers, and probably a girlfriend—maybe a boyfriend—hell, maybe both, who knows? Whatever the case, guys like him are more often than not huge conceited pricks, and you don't need that—you've played that game before, remember? And it didn't end well—it never does. You should probably be praying that you never see him again._'

But despite her own logic, she still was entertaining the idea, still hopeful for another encounter. She finished up the remainder of her pastries and took the last few sips of her coffee, feeling in considerably better spirits than she had went she had set out on her impromptu exploration earlier that day. Davina discarded her trash, and waved a quick goodbye to the kind waiter who had briefly conversed with her before taking her leave of the café. She headed for her apartment building a few blocks over, dreading the tasks that still waited for her attention. Throughout the remainder of the day, even grumbling angrily and besieged by her unpacking efforts, Davina found herself unable to rid her mind of the mysterious redhead stranger entirely.

She wondered what his name was.

. . .

Much to Davina's chagrin, the remainder of the week flew by very much like the rapid blink of an eye. Before she realized, it was Sunday evening—tomorrow began her semester for the fall quarter. She was ready, or as ready as she ever could be—over the past several days, she had finally completed the remainder of her unpacking, and it came as a deep relief to know that everything was finally put away. Her morning had been filled with chores and errands, and by the middle of the day, everything Davina had set out to accomplish had been completed. She decided to treat herself to a coffee, sans the pastries, at the Koeda Café before ambling around the downtown district for a while. It was her third visit for the course of the week, and the kindly curious man who had served her during her first time there, Kazuya, (whom she now knew to be the actual owner of the café) was privy to her first name and greeted her warmly every time she came in.

She was grateful for his pleasant reaction—after all, she was still a stranger in Kaiden, and had yet to make any friends. Odds are that she would have the opportunity to do so once school commenced, but for now, hers was a rather lonely existence. Her daily texting conversations with her best friend back in the states helped quell that feeling, but only just. Davina had even spoken with her father just the day before—he had reached out to her at an odd hour, it being just after one in the morning when his call had come through. She was awake, luckily, working on organizing her bookshelf with the novels arranged by genre. Turns out he had forgotten all about the fifteen hour time difference in their locations—it was just after ten in the morning back in Denver, and her father had been enjoying his morning coffee, which had caused him to think of her.

She felt a harsh pang of sadness when he said that—they had always taken their morning coffee together when she had been at home, and would often sit out on the deck together, enjoying the weather and discussing everything from current events to personal goings on while they drank. Despite this, it was a pleasant conversation, and her father promised that she would be seeing them once winter break rolled around—whether that meant she would temporarily return home to Colorado or that her family would make the trip to Osaka wasn't specified, but deep down, Davina hoped it was the former. Regardless, the notion came as a relief, and the phone call ended with them exchanging sentimental words while she promised to check in with him over the next few days.

After drinking her coffee, Davina left the café and walked the streets of downtown Kaiden, eying the collection of clothing and trinket stores with curiosity. When the window display of one shop in particular caught her attention, she slipped inside, leisurely ogling the wares that were offered. The store was fittingly named the Kawaii Neko, and it was filled with all sorts of cute clothing and décor, much of it themed with cats and kittens. Again, she felt herself missing home—her family had adopted a small female orange tabby cat a few years prior, and her father had named her Marmalade. She was pretty fond of the feline, and despite the fact that she was meant to be her father's cat, she had taken to Davina and could often be found sleeping in her room. It was a comfort to have a pet, and she missed hearing the soft little mews and chirps as Marmalade would parade around the house, begging for treats or searching for the perfect window spot to bask in the sun. Maybe once she had settled into her routine, she would consider adopting a cat of her own—Davina knew that her apartment building permitted pets, as she had seen several of her neighbors walking small dogs and noted the presence of several felines lounging lazily within windows. It certainly wouldn't be a bad thing to come home to each day.

While perusing the shelves, Davina came upon a collection of adorable maneki neko figures and stopped to admire them. She was an avid collector of them since childhood, picking out a new one to add to her compilation with every family trip taken to Japan—unfortunately, they had remained back in Denver, for she had amassed quite a collection over the years, and wasn't sure if she'd have the space to display them. But now that she had settled in, Davina found that she did in fact have some spare shelf space, and decided to buy herself one—it was a charm that supposedly brought good luck, after all, and she could use all the luck she could get. In the end, she picked two from the display—a green one and a pink one. The green was for luck in academics, the pink for luck in love. She knew it was almost childish, but the purchase made her happy, and she carefully packed the parchment wrapped baubles within her messenger bag before taking her leave of the store.

Once back outside, Davina wandered over to the row of shops on the opposite side, her attention being drawn once more to a cute sundress dress displayed in a tall store window. She wasn't a huge fan of shopping for clothes, but the wardrobe she had traveled to Kaiden with was meager, and it wouldn't hurt to acquire a few more things to wear.

A tiny bell dinged as she entered the store, and she was greeted by an associate, who asked if she required help. She refused the offer, citing that she was just there to look around. The attendant smiled knowingly and nodded, telling her to please ask if she had any questions or needed assistance before wandering off.

Davina walked the shop at length, eying the multiple wracks of clothing with a curious eye. She came across a few articles, two casual shirts, a pair of shorts, and of course, the sundress displayed in the window, in her size, then headed back towards the changing booths. She was assigned to an empty booth, which was simply a small space roped off by thick red curtains with a full length mirror hanging on the wall. While she was trying on the shirts and shorts, she overheard a conversation coming from just outside the changing area.

"What do you think of this one, Yusuke?"

"Err, it's alright, I guess."

"Seriously? Alright? That's the best you can do? What about pretty, or even nice?"

"It's a damn dress, Keiko. Just hurry up and pick something out—we've gotta get back to the shop or your dad's gonna give me an earful, and I'm not in the mood for it."

"Hmpf, fine. Let me try on the other one and then we'll leave."

"Great."

"Don't be such an ass."

"Whatever. Are you gonna try the other one or not?"

"I'm going, I'm going, jeez. Try to be patient for once in your life."

"Yeah, yeah."

Davina stifled a small chuckle at the exchange—obviously, someone was not having a good time. She never understood why women insisted that their boyfriend or husband join them when shopping for clothing—men didn't particularly care for those kinds of activities, and this couple in the booth alongside her was further evidence of that notion.

Having decided on one of the shirts, but forgoing the second and the shorts, Davina slipped into the dress, immediately deciding that she quite liked it. It was comfortable and loosely fitting, a dark jade green color with bursts of white floral print strewn throughout. It had a deviously low neckline, one that revealed her ample cleavage in a flattering manner, with tied up spaghetti straps, an empire waist, and a ruffled hemline that ended just above her knees. Wanting to get a better view of the back side of the dress, Davina exited the privacy of the changing booth and ventured over to the trio of mirrors that sat close to the return rack. She eyed her trio of reflections curiously, ultimately deciding to purchase the dress because she liked the way it fit her.

Davina felt a stare digging into her and glanced over to the waiting area that sat abreast of the other changing booth, locking eyes with a male about her age. He had jet black hair, carefully gelled back against the crown of his skull, and deep brown eyes. He was perched on a wooden bench, his arms crossed over the width of his chest in a silent display of annoyance. The guy studied her with curiosity for a long moment, then smirked to himself.

"Nice," he offered softly, and Davina quickly recognized his voice as belonging to the couple she had overheard arguing only a few short minutes prior. Her cheeks suddenly grew hot at his vague compliment, but she fixed him with a small, awkward smile before returning to the booth to redress. She gathered up the articles and left the booth, placing the items she wasn't going to purchase on the rack before heading up to the register to pay. As she made her way to the front, she caught more of the couple's conversation as the female emerged from the changing booth in a different dress.

"What about this one?"

"Ugh, it doesn't matter! Pick one already!"

"Maybe I'll see what else they have…"

"Oh, c'mon!"

She fought the urge to chuckle as the associate rang up her purchases and cashed her out, packing away her new articles in a small paper shopping parcel. Davina fought to keep her face stoic, but amusement danced in her eyes as she exited the shop with her new bag in tow. After hitting a few more stores and finding a handful of things, useful or otherwise, she returned to her apartment, intent on doing some laundry and cooking a nice meal for herself—Davina absolutely loved to cook, and she was damn good at it. She hadn't had the opportunity to break in her new kitchen yet, and was eager to do so. She threw a load of clothing into the small washer dryer duo, which was located alongside the sink in an odd sort of atrium with a door that looked out of place and was far different than the bathrooms back in the states. Said door led back to room that was tiled from top to bottom and dedicated solely to an impressively large rectangular porcelain tub, a handheld showerhead hung up on the wall beside it. The toilet sat in a tiny closet of a room just across the hall—while Davina had seen similar set ups before, the layout was certainly going to take some getting used to.

With the laundry started, she worked on preparing her messenger back for university—by some stroke of luck, when she had visited the campus bookstore on Friday to obtain the last of her textbooks, nothing was on back order for the moment—she had even managed to snag the last copy of the book she needed for her advanced physics class, which came as a relief. Her schedule was a bit weird, with three consecutive classes for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and two for Tuesdays and Thursdays. She had opted for all morning and earlier afternoon appointments, which left the majority of her afternoons and evenings free for homework, studying, and projects. After making sure she had packed the correct textbooks and necessary supplies, Davina headed into the kitchen and began cooking, pausing only when it was time to toss her laundry in the dryer. She made a simple meal of yakisoba, topped with slices of pork belly and cabbage, with a side of steamed vegetables, drizzled liberally with soy sauce.

While she ate, she cracked open one of her favorite books, Stephen King's _Salem's Lot_, and began to reread it—by the end of her meal, Davina was feeling rather content. She was just about to hit the shower after cleaning the kitchen, only to realize upon putting the leftovers in the fridge that she had forgotten to grab a carton of cream while grocery shopping—knowing that she would be most unhappy drinking her morning coffee sans cream, Davina sighed in defeat and slipped her boots and coat back on, then headed back outside to walk the two blocks over to the market. It was just before eight in the evening, and the sun was long set, the roadways illuminated only by the presence of tall streetlights that hung high overhead. A mild child hung in the air, but there was almost no wind, and for that, Davina was grateful.

She arrived at the market, grabbed her precious cream and a few other odds and ends. Her entire trip took perhaps twenty minutes, and she was nearly back to her apartment when she felt the strange presence of eyes on her once more. She saw a single figure approaching the crosswalk from the opposite side of the intersection, but didn't pause to scrutinize the situation, immediately heading for the stairwell. All she wanted was a hot shower and then to fall into bed—despite it being fairly early, she was rather tired from being up quite late the night before. And with classes beginning the next morning, bright and early at eight in the morning, Davina wanted to be well rested for the day ahead.

Racing up the flight of stairs, she headed for her apartment, quickly unlocking the door and stepping inside. Within half an hour, Davina was nestled within the warm comfort of her bed, her muscles relaxed from her shower and long hair damp against her pillow. Within minutes, she was out cold, cradled in the arms of a deep slumber.


	3. Chapter 3 - Inside Your Mind

The first three days of the fall semester had flown by in a swift haze for Shuichi Minamino—he had already acquired a paper with a two week deadline for his organic chemistry class, and wanted to have it completed sooner rather than later. It was now Thursday, just after lunch, and the only class that remained on his roster for the day was microbiology—once it ended, he had plans to hit up the library and get a solid start. He wasn't due for his evening shift at the Koeda Café until five, and with his course ending at two, that allotted him about two hours or so before he had to head home to get ready for work. He hurried his way over to the main hall, pausing to hit the restroom before making his way into the classroom that hosted his final course. He arrived nearly fifteen minutes before class was set to begin, and the room was still rather empty, with only a handful of fellow early birds like himself having claimed their seats.

Shuichi got to work setting up his space, withdrawing a spiral notebook and a pen in preparation to take notes—it had been plainly stated in the syllabus that the major bi-weekly examinations would be largely based off of the lectures provided, and he preferred to have an in-depth record of the material in which to review and study from. While he waited, his cell phone vibrated within the pocket of his slacks, and he withdrew the tiny device, seeing a notification from Kazuma appear across the tiny screen. He tapped on the message and saw the request from his friend to join up with him in the library if time allowed—seeing as he already planned to do so following the conclusion of his class, Shuichi readily agreed. He had yet to see Kuwabara since the semester had officially begun due to their difference in schedules—unlike the previous semester, their lunch periods unfortunately did not align, so they were unable to meet up during the meal time and catch up.

They had made tentative plans to meet up and grab a bite to eat that Friday evening, but Kazuma had been made to cancel after being asked to pick up a shift he hadn't been scheduled for at his job—working as a bouncer for the only dance club in all of Kaiden was a simple occupation, and one Kuwabara actively enjoyed, but many of the fellow employees who shared his duties were unreliable—it wasn't uncommon that he would get a request from his boss to cover for one of them when they called out. Kazuma would always agree, even at the cost of his own social life. The extra money was something he could always use, and Shuichi couldn't blame him for taking the opportunity when it was presented to him.

The few minutes of freedom quickly ticked by, and class swiftly commenced upon the professor's arrival to the classroom—the lecture given wasn't a particularly interesting one, focusing on cell physiology, but Shuichi took sufficient notes all the same. He was pleased when the class finally came to an end, making his way to the exit the moment the professor had given the green light for dismissal. On eager legs, he made his way across the quad and over to the library, which was bustling with people. Kazuma's message had informed him to meet up near the back of the domicile in their usual spot, which was located alongside the not-so-expansive periodicals section. Shuichi weaved his way through the mass of students, spotting Kuwabara's distinct head of bright orange hair from a distance. As he approached, he quickly realized that his friend did not sit alone—his companion sat in a chair just across from Kazuma, with her back pointed in his direction. He saw the telltale glint of vivid copper hair and felt his breath suddenly catch in his throat—no, it couldn't be…but could it?

Anxious, but masking it well, Shuichi made his way over to the table in question. Kuwabara saw him approaching and waved him over with a wide smile, which prompted his unnamed companion to turn around in her chair to investigate. Hazel eyes bore into him, growing wide with subtle recognition as mild surprise blanketed her endearing, freckle adorned face.

It was her, there was no mistaking it. The girl from that dreary gray day while crossing the empty quad. He had begun to truly doubt that he would ever lay eyes on her again—university had been in session for nearly a week, and he had yet to spot her among the masses, in spite of his causal searching whenever he was moving from one class to another, his hopes high but tainted by realism. A mild desperation had befallen him each time he walked the courtyard and failed to see her, for reasons he didn't fully understand. But now here she sat, in stark reality—she fixed him with that same warm smile as she had done during their first encounter, and without warning, his mouth and throat had done dry. It was obvious from her reaction, although restrained, that she had recognized him as well. He hesitated in his approach, but only for the briefest of seconds—was that a twinkle of appreciation in her eye, or was that simply a product of his imagination?

"Hey, Shuichi!" Kazuma offered in greeting as he neared the gathering, a wide smile plastered across his face. "Glad you could make it, buddy." Shuichi flashed a small smile at his friend, but found himself unable to fully drop his focus from the girl entirely. Ever intuitive, Kuwabara picked up on his friend's curiosity and pointed towards his cohort. "This is Davina—she's new around here. We have physics together, and she's my lab partner."

_Davina_. An odd name, not one he had ever heard before, but lovely—it suited her.

"Davi, this is my friend, Shuichi," Kazuma continued, gesturing towards him with a wave of his hand.

Before anything further could be said, Davina rose from her chair and turned to face him, nonchalantly tucking some stray strands of her soft looking hair behind the curve of her ear before holding out her other hand for him to shake.

"It's nice to meet you, Shuichi," she offered softly, her smile inviting and her eyes firmly holding his gaze. Her Japanese was near perfect, which came as a pleasant discovery.

The sound of her voice speaking his name sent a strange shudder of anticipation racing down the curve of his spine, gentle and sweet. A sudden rush of heat bubbled within his loins as his mind wandered to just what she would sound like crying out in the throes of ecstasy.

Forcing such salacious thoughts aside, he glanced down at her presented hand for a brief second, taking in her lithe fingers and neatly manicured nails, which were painted a shade of dark, iridescent green. He then reached out and engulfed it with his own, her appendage minute and warm against his flesh. Something within his body jolted at the harmless contact—it was as if a sudden shockwave arched between them, connecting them on a level that was beyond physical. Her eyes abruptly widened, as if she had experienced a similar sensation.

"Pleasure to meet you," he replied quietly, slowly releasing his firm grip on her hand even as their eyes continued to hold for a moment longer. He broke the gaze and moved to claim the seat besides Kazuma as she slipped back into her chair. The table before them was littered with textbooks and notebooks, a small collection of pens and highlighters sitting beside them.

"So, how are you're classes going so far?" Kazuma asked curiously as Davina returned her attention to the physics textbook in front of her and began to read.

"Rather well," Shuichi replied, but he found it difficult to pull his attention away from her, taking in the minute details of her face as her eyes swiftly darted over the text. The smattering of freckles crossed the bridge of her nose, pouring down the sides of her cheeks and kissing her temples. She wore almost no make-up, her lengthy lashes darkened by mascara, and the scent of her perfume danced around his sensitive nose, flooding his nostrils with a delicious aroma of sweet vanilla and spicy clove. He felt his mouth begin to water involuntarily at the delectable aroma, even as he did his best to ignore the reaction and focus on Kazuma as he completed his explanation. "I've already received my first research paper for the semester—Professor Takahashi surely didn't waste any time."

"What subject are you pursuing your degree in?" Davina suddenly questioned, the sound of her voice swiftly regaining Shuichi's attention—his eyes locked with hers, and he could see the curiosity playing across her demure visage.

"Biochemistry," he replied, and witnessed a small smile of approval form upon her lips. "And yourself?" He had to admit, he was curious. She was obviously quite intelligent—she wouldn't have been accepted to Chishiki No Eda if she wasn't. It was one of the best schools in the country, with a rigorous criterion for students wishing to attend. Not to mention the fact that it was costly—he had managed to earn a substantial scholarship that took care of many of his expenses, but there were always additional costs to consider. So either she took had received a similar benefit, or her family was wealthy, and she definitely did not mirror that snotty, superior attitude he had often witnessed from others who were well off.

"Engineering…electrical engineering, to be specific," she offered casually, but Shuichi swore he could hear a subtle hint of discontentment behind her words. "It's the preferred occupation of the MacKenna Family—both of my parents and my two older brothers are engineers."

"Wow, that's kind of crazy," Kuwabara commented, his interjection suddenly pulling Davina's attention away from Shuichi, if only for a brief second. The loss made something within him snarl with a sense of inexplicable annoyance, but he kept his face stoic. "A family full of engineers. You must be super smart, Davi."

"Trust me, Kazuma, it wasn't exactly a choice," she replied with a halfhearted chuckle. "Growing up, I actually wanted to be a journalist, but my mother would never have approved of that as a career choice. She grew up in Osaka, and Chishiki No Eda is actually her alma mater, hence why she insisted on me attending here. But it's all fine—engineering is a very interesting field, although I'm sure biochemistry is far more interesting," she continued, her gaze once again meeting Shuichi's. Whatever had balked within him before immediately calmed, and he fixed her with a small smile of appreciation.

"It certainly is interesting. Do you still enjoy writing? Or have you discontinued those efforts in your pursuit of your family's career choice?"

His question appeared to catch her off guard, if only for a second. She seemed absolutely surprised by his inquiry, as if she had expected for him to disregard her words. Such a thing was a learned behavior, and for it to have been so deeply ingrained within her, such ignorance must have been occurring for years. The thought of her being treated so poorly displeased him, although why it mattered to him was a true mystery. She was a stranger to him still, but she was proving to have a unique effect upon him, one that he couldn't recall a female ever before inspiring. It was both intriguing and bothersome, and he was eager to understand why he was experiencing such a thing.

True, it had been a fair amount of time since his last carnal encounter—perhaps these odd desires stemmed forth from his more base urges failing to be taken care of. He had ended things with his previous girlfriend just about three months ago, and typically, he would already have secured a replacement to warm his bed. But other obligations had required his attention, and he had opted to focus his energy on them instead of his own physical needs. It was a satisfactory explanation, all things considered. Perhaps he would test out his theory with a willing female soon and see if his interest in Davina was a passing desire fueled by his lack of intimate attentions. He certainly had a list of enthusiastic candidates vying for the chance.

"Well, yes, I still love writing," she replied, after a short pause, the sound of her voice snapping Shuichi back into the gripe of reality. "I actually was working on a full length novel before I graduated high school back in Denver."

_Denver_—so, he had been correct in his thinking. She was American, and from the sound of it, her mother was a Japanese native. A rather interesting combination, if he did say so himself.

"Well, if you still enjoy the art, you should continue your efforts," he offered, feeling a pang at the sight of those vivid golden green eyes growing soft with what he believed was admiration. "The university paper is always looking for student submissions and staff volunteers. Perhaps it's something you'd care to look into."

"It's a good idea, Shuichi," Kazuma chimed in, nearly startling him—in the presence of their conversation and his own mental tirade, Shuchi had nearly forgotten about his friend. "I know someone on the literary committee—I could always introduce you to him, if you want." Davina's eyes once again shifted to Kuwabara's, and Shuichi experienced that internal gripe of irritation once more at the loss of her consideration.

"I'll keep that in mind, Kazuma. Thank you," she said quietly, then met Shuichi's stare once again. "And thanks for the suggestion. I appreciate it. It would be a nice departure from my studies." Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she gasped. "Is it really a quarter after two already? I should be heading out, my next class is set to start in fifteen minutes." Davina rose to her feet and gathered up her supplies in silence, quickly pushing everything into the confines of her backpack.

"Well, thanks for the invite, Kazuma. I'll see you in physics on Monday—and Shuichi, it was wonderful meeting you. Hopefully, I'll see you around again," she offered with a shy smile, then waved a goodbye as she took her leave, heading for the library's exit. Both men watched her as she walked away, with Shuichi quietly admiring her backside, quite liking the way those dark gray jeans hugged her ample curves.

"Sorry to just spring that on ya, buddy," Kazuma said the moment Davina had disappeared. He looked sheepish, scratching the back of his head in mild embarrassment. "She's really nice, and doesn't really know anyone around here yet. I just thought it would be a good thing to invite her."

"No need for concern, Kazuma," Shuichi replied casually. "That was kind of you to invite her. In fact, I don't mind if you'd like to invite her to join us in the future."

"Really? Cool. I think she'd like that. Thanks, man. You gonna get started on your paper? I've got some homework I need to knock out. I'm working the whole weekend, and Shizuru will kick my butt if I fall behind." The mental image of Kazuma's older sister threatening him with her foot caused Shuichi to chuckle softly—it wasn't the first time she had made such a warning, and they both knew full well she would deliver on it.

"Let's get to it, then."

. . .

Davina's final class of the day seemed to crawl by, and she was having significant difficulty in paying attention to her instructor's lecture concerning sociology. The page of the notebook in front of her barely held two paragraphs worth of notes—considering her typical method of writing nearly every damn thing down during such discussion, her utter lack of concentration was worrisome, to say the least. Her physical form was perched in the Social Sciences Hall, but her mind was back in the library—she couldn't stop thinking about her earlier interactions with _him_.

'_Shuichi_' she reminded herself, now that she knew his name. His sudden appearance had come as a complete surprise to her—she never would have believed the coincidence that he and Kazuma were friends. It had been rather nice of Kazuma to invite her to join him in the library to study—he sat next to her in physics, and had been friendly with her since their first day of class. When the instructor named them as lab partners, she had been relieved—he had responded to the appointment positively, and for that, Davina had been grateful. She had been attending university for nearly a week, and had yet to make a single friend. She did receive a great many curious looks, but hadn't really spoken with anyone, her anxiety at being thrust into a new environment and surrounded by strangers vibrating painfully within her. But Kuwabara hadn't seem to notice her apprehension, and had been exceedingly kind to her.

During their time in the library, prior to Shuichi's arrival, they had talked more about their personal lives rather than school, and learned that they had a fair amount in common—they both loved videogames, rock music, and cats. He had spoken in length about his girlfriend, Yukina, and Davina had felt a deep fondness for her newfound companion. There was nothing about Kazuma that she found physically attractive, but he had a beautiful soul, and the way he talked about his love made her admire him. He had even offered to take her to the local arcade in Kaiden one day and meet some of his friends, and she was both nervous and excited at the idea.

When Shuichi had appeared, Davina had felt her breath catch suddenly in her throat—when she realized that it was their table that he was fast approaching, she had nearly fallen into shock. But she had smiled at him, and could tell that he recognized her from that gray day while crossing the quad. He was even more attractive in close proximity, and when he had reached out to envelope her offered hand in his own, she had felt this strange electric pulse race up the curve of her arm. His voice was calm and pleasant to the ear, and while she had done her best not to appear affected by his presence, Davina knew nearly for certain that he was aware of his influence upon her.

But their conversation was enjoyable, and when he had responded to her comment about writing, she had been rather surprised at his interest. Her mother had always responded negatively when she brought up such a desire, and had inspired such self doubt that Davina truly believed the idea to be a frivolous one. Yet, Shuichi had listened attentively, and had even provided encouragement. She found herself feeling somewhat ashamed at the predetermined conception her mind had painted for him—he didn't come across as conceited in the least. She had been rather disappointed when the time had come for her to leave—she certainly hadn't wanted to.

And now, here she sat, her mind entangled in thoughts of him, praying to some unseen power that she would get to see him again, and soon. There was an unanticipated longing she felt, and Davina was hesitant to acknowledge it—he was still more or less a stranger, but she was desperate to know him better. She could only hope that the chance to do so would present itself.

What seemed like a small eternity later, her class finally came to an end, and Davina eagerly left the classroom, following the mass exodus from the lecture hall with a small smile on her face. Twenty minutes and a short train ride later found her back home at her apartment, sitting down at her desk to finish up a homework assignment. She was nearly done when her stomach growled loudly, announcing its hunger to the world—considering she had skipped lunch, not wanting to eat alone with in the meal hall for the fourth day in a row, it didn't come as a surprise. Forcing herself to focus on her work, Davina finished up the last of her task and then headed towards the refrigerator to scope out dinner options.

Nothing she had in her stores appealed to her—Davina considered venturing out to grab some food, and after a quick debate with herself, decided to take the plunge. It was still fairly early in the evening—the sun still hung in the sky, and a quick glance at the clock perched in the corner of her laptop's screen announced that it was just after six. She'd run out, grab a bite, and then settle in for the night, maybe do a little reading or even sketch. She hadn't done any art since her move, since her time had been consumed by other things. To say that she missed the outlet was a vast understatement—there was something wholly therapeutic about drawing, and it usually helped her to relax.

Davina slipped into her boots, grabbed her purse, and headed outside, making the short walk into the downtown shopping district and eyeing the small collection of restaurants peppered among the shops. For a brief moment, she considered going to the Koeda Café, but then a sign advertising a noodle shop caught her attention. Her stomach roared at the thought, and she considered that the decision on where to eat had been decided for her. So she quickly crossed the street and ventured inside, eager to calm her ravenous belly.

"Welcome to the Yukimura Noodle Shop!" a friendly female voice called out in greeting as she entered the small restaurant, which was fairly empty. Davina made her way over to counter, where a petite, dark haired girl with big brown eyes was perched, smiling politely over at her. Davina mirrored her façade, and took a second to consider the menu that hung overhead.

"I'll have the shoyu ramen, please," she asked, digging into her purse to locate her wallet. The girl rang her order in, and Davina handed her the payment needed to satisfy their transaction. She couldn't help but study the cashier closely as she worked, feeling as if she somehow looked familiar—but Davina couldn't easily place her. She was certain she had seen her somewhere around Kaiden before, but for the moment, was unable to pin point where that had been.

Davina selected a table and claimed a chair for herself, withdrawing her current novel, _Red Dragon _by author Thomas Harris, from the depths of her purse and picked up from her previously bookmarked page. While she awaited the arrival of her food, the girl brought her a small pot of freshly brewed black tea and a single cup, carefully placing the tray that held the items upon the surface in front of her.

"Thank you," Davina offered, placing her book down for a brief second. "Miss, if you don't mind, I have a question—do you happen to know of a good place around here to get art supplies? I'm new to town and still learning my way around."

"There's a shop about two blocks over, on Ame Street," her companion replied after a moment of thoughtful hesitation. "It's called Aura Inks—they have a decent selection. If that doesn't work for you, there's Art House, but it's over in Osaka, about a mile away from the train station. It's much bigger, and even has a little gallery attached to the shop."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Davina replied, fixing her with a grateful smile. She made a mental note to stop in at the first shop that had been suggested—she'd save the one in Osaka for a later time, perhaps for an after class venture.

"No problem—your food should be up in just another minute or so."

Davina nodded and quickly fixed herself a cup of the hot beverage, giving it a change to cool some as she returned to her book and picked up reading. The girl stepped away to return to her perch behind the counter, her attention quickly being occupied by her cell phone, which she had tucked away alongside the register. True to her word, the food she had ordered was placed in the small window that linked the kitchen to the front end almost exactly a full sixty seconds later. "Order up!" a gruff voiced barked from beyond the construct, which prompted the girl serving to return her phone to its unseen hiding spot and approach the window to collect the food. With balance born of many years of constant practice, she carried the circular tray bearing Davina's meal over to where she sat, and arranged the bowls before her.

"Enjoy!" the girl offered, wearing a gracious smile once more. As she returned to her station, Davina surveyed the meal before her with an appreciative eye—everything looked delicious, and her stomach was eager with anticipation for that first bite. She ate slowly, enjoying her food as she continued to read. The broth was delightfully salty and the noodles were accompanied by bits of tender braised beef. It was even better than Davina had expected, her belly quite full and extremely content by the time she was finished. She would undoubtedly be returning here in the future.

"We should go on a date this weekend," she overheard the girl who had served her say as she placed her marker to hold her current page and slipped her book back into her bag, presumably speaking to the chef who was hidden beyond the window. "There's that new pizza place over in Osaka that I've been dying to try. How about Saturday?"

A loud groan of protest followed her suggestion. "Another date? You know I'm supposed to hang out with Kuwabara on Saturday!"

The mention of her classmate immediately caught Davina's attention, and she paused in her preparations to take her leave, her interest roused. Perhaps these were some of the friends Kazuma had previously mentioned.

His less than enthusiastic response prompted the girl to huff in annoyance. "I know that, Yusuke, but you don't have to spend the whole day with him! Besides, we really need to start getting some planning done for the wedding—mom thinks we should set the date for March of next year."

"Why the rush? We have plenty of time to plan for it."

"You can't really get any planning done if you don't even have a date in mind! We've been engaged for almost a year already, and yet no real plans have been made!"

Davina kept her face stoic, but then something clicked in her mind—although she could not see the girl's companion, she recognized his voice, and hearing him openly argue with the girl helped her place where she knew them from. These two were the couple from the clothing shop from the week prior, when she had purchased her new dress. From the sound of things, there was quite a bit of trouble in paradise. Despite her apparent curiosity, it was not her business, but she could feel it in her bones that this was a relationship that was doomed to have a less than pleasant outcome. The occasional disagreement in any relationship was expected, but this seemingly disgruntled union was on a level all its own.

"Nothing's wrong with a long engagement, Keiko. Why are you in such a rush to get married, anyway? It's not like it's gonna change anything."

His retort caused Keiko's face to turn bright red with anger, and Davina took that as a sign from a higher power that now was a good time to make her exit. She stood up, slipped her purse on her shoulder, and headed for the door, keeping her gaze trained directly ahead.

Once back out on the street, a deep sigh of relief escaped Davina's lips. Witnessing the couple's heated spat made her feel grateful that she was unattached—in truth, she hadn't dated much in her high school years, always busy with school, family, or friends. Her one serious relationship, which had lasted for nearly two years, hadn't ended well, and she had opted to not get involved with anyone new ever since—it seemed to be far more hassle than it was worth. She had been on a handful of dates following that epic crash and burn, but none of them had warranted a second venture. Like most young women, Davina desired to find the perfect mate, but she was also wise enough to realize that perfection did not exist. She was a firm believer in fate—the right person would come along when the time was right, probably when she least expected it. She wasn't sure if she was thrilled by the idea or terrified by it.

Going on Keiko's previous suggestion, Davina made her way over to Ame Street, and quickly located the art shop. After only ten minutes or so, she had gathered the supplies she would need, among them a new sketchbook, graphite pencils, and a box of pastels. The sun was close to setting as she left the store, her purchases neatly packaged in a small canvas bag. She made the short walk home, and swiftly unloaded her materials at her desk. For background noise, she opened her laptop and played some music—her taste in such a thing was quite varied, with the first song being a recent hit from one of her favorite metal bands, only to transition into an instrumental version of the theme from _The Phantom of the Opera _musical. It was that second song that inspired the subject matter for her drawing, and while quietly humming along with the melody, Davina began to sketch, loosing herself in the process, her mind floating off into a world unknown as her hand skillfully danced across the page.

Several hours later, she had finished with the line work, having sketched out a fairly detailed drawing of the infamous Phantom who haunted the Palais Garnier opera house, a slender hand holding his half mask in place to shield the ruined half of his otherwise beautiful visage. She had originally planned to base the drawing off of Gerard Butler's portrayal of the Phantom from the film, but instead had gone in her own direction, giving him longer hair and providing distinct features to his face. By the time she paused in her efforts to study her work, Davina nearly choked as she realized the face she had sketched—it certainly wasn't that of Gerard Butler, but looked eerily close to Shuichi. She considered erasing it, but couldn't bring herself to do so, quite liking the end result. Why she had sketched Shuichi's visage was a mystery to her—she hadn't been thinking about him as she had worked, and yet there was his likeness, plain as day, staring piercingly up at her from the paper that sat in front of her.

Realizing that it had become rather late, Davina decided it was best she cleaned up and headed to bed. She showered and made her preparations for the day ahead, happy to know that it was Friday that awaited her when she awoke. As she crawled into her bed, she found herself wondering when she would see him next, and drifted off to sleep, encompassed by thoughts that she was afraid to give a name to.

. . .

*Author's Note: I just wanted to take a moment and give a very heartfelt thank you to YuYuHakushoObsesser for leaving my very first story review. Your kind words are very appreciated, thank you so much for taking the time to share that with me. I also wanted to share a little tidbit with everyone who reads this story—that drawing that Davina does is actually based on a piece of fan-art I acquired years ago while attending an anime convention! I didn't initially plan on including it, but I was recently going through my art collection and stumbled upon it. It must have inspired me, because it made it into the story. The next chapter is currently in the works, so I will have it posted the moment it's complete. Any comments, suggestions, and the like are welcomed and appreciated. Thank you all!


	4. Chapter 4 - Before The Rain

Shuichi was greeted by a dreary, rainy Friday morning when he stepped outside to grab the newspaper, which prompted him to check the weather forecast for the remainder of the day. Since it was predicted to be poor conditions for the duration, he thought it best to take the train into Osaka and forgo his bike. He returned inside, sans newspaper, stepping into the kitchen to fix himself a cup of tea and enjoy a quick bite to eat before leaving for university—he had woken nearly an hour before his alarm was set to expire, and hadn't been able to return to sleep, so he had abandoned his efforts and left the comfort of his bed. His mother was perched at the kitchen table, sipping on a cup of black coffee and perusing the newspaper he had been unable to locate on the porch. She fixed him with a lovely smile as he slipped into the seat across from her, armed with his own mug and a banana.

"Off to school soon, I take it?" she asked warmly as she folded down her newspaper and met his gaze.

"Yes. The weather is poor, so I'll be taking the orange line," Shuichi offered, then took a hearty sip of his beverage.

"Good idea. Wouldn't want you to get caught in a storm and catch a nasty cold."

"I'll be fine, Mother. No need to worry."

"How are your classes so far?"

"It's going well. There's certainly more homework than the previous semester, but I'll manage."

Shiori's brow furrowed at his admission. "Maybe you should cut back on your hours at the café. I know Kazuya will understand if you need to."

"No, that's not necessary. As long as I keep on top of things, I'll be absolutely fine," Shuichi replied, while stealthy peeling the skin from his piece of fruit. "We're already dealing with a minimal staff, and I wouldn't want to leave him in a bind."

"He could always hire another person, if need be. I wouldn't want you to fall behind on your studies, Shuichi."

"You don't have to worry about that, Mother. If it starts to become a problem, I'll consider your suggestion." Shuichi took a bite of his banana, relishing the sweet flavor on his tongue.

Shiori smiled, then rose to her feet.

"Well, I've got to get off to work. Have a good day, sweetheart."

"You too, Mother. Drive safely."

His mother approached his side and placed a quick kiss on his forehead before taking her leave of the kitchen. Shuichi finished his meager breakfast and then ventured into the bathroom to brush his teeth. As he was finishing up, Kokoda appeared in the doorway, wiping the sleep from his eyes. His hair was a tousled mess, and he looked less than half awake.

"Hey big brother," he said, his voice heavy with sleep still. "Think you can help me with that boss level when you get home later? I keep getting my butt kicked."

Shuichi smiled at the question and nodded his agreement.

"Thanks. You almost done in here?"

"It's all yours."

Shuichi left the bathroom and slipped into his room to grab his school bag, then headed out so he could make the short walk to the train station. It was still fairly early before his first class, but he wanted to make it to campus prior to the bulk of the morning rush. While he sat waiting for the orange line to arrive, he heard his name being called from afar and quickly scoured the small crowd to find the source. His eyes met that of his classmate, Amaya Noriyaki—she was an advanced placement student who shared his calculus class. She smiled widely over at him as he waved to acknowledge her greeting and took it as an invitation to approach him.

"Surprised to see you taking the train today," she said, sauntering up to him and slipping into the vacant seat that sat to his right.

"Didn't want to chance getting stuck in the rain," Shuichi replied casually. While certainly attractive, Amaya had a bit of a reputation around the university for being quite the little vixen. The running joke was that she changed her partners as often as she changed her hair color, which was every few weeks. Currently, it was dyed a vivid shade of purple and pulled up into a high ponytail. She had tried on several occasions to lure Shuichi into her bed, but he had denied her advances because he was involved with Kanaka at the time. Despite his lustful nature, he wasn't one to cheat on a partner—embracing his human side had made him realize that loyalty towards a lover was an important quality to possess, and he had done well to not stray. It certainly wasn't worth the headache. But now that Kanaka was no longer in the picture, it was a different playing field. He had heard through the collective grapevine that Amaya was wild in the bedroom, and in truth, he was curious, a feeling that was only further amplified by his lack of action over the course of the past few months.

"Didn't want to get wet, huh? That's a shame, it's a nice mental image," she teased, her tone quickly becoming flirtatious as she batted her blue eyes at him playfully. "Of course, I would be more than willing to help you dry off…"

The carnal feelings her words openly insinuated had something humming deep within Shuichi's loins. He knew full well that she was baiting him, but considering he was currently unattached, he didn't see the harm in playing her game. She may have been well versed in her skills, but he knew she wouldn't be able to best him. Seduction had been a forte of his after all, and he had yet to meet anyone who could surpass his own proficiency.

"That would be rather kind of you. Perhaps you'd need to undress first," he offered thoughtfully. "I wouldn't want you to get wet…well, your clothing, anyway."

Her eyes grew wide with surprise at his lecherous response—it was obvious she hadn't anticipated his agreeable retort.

"Good idea. No doubt you'd be chilly after getting soaked, so it would only be right if I helped warm you up," she replied with a swift, pithy recovery.

"There's definitely an appeal in being properly warmed up."

Amaya giggled at his reply, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"We should hang out sometime," she said, fixing him with a pointed stare that suggested they would be doing far less chaste than grabbing some ice-cream while strolling through the downtown district. Shuichi fixed her with a knowing smirk, but before he could respond, a familiar glint of copper caught his attention from near the station's entrance. Upon further scrutiny, he realized that it was Davina—he watched as she made her way over to the board announcing the arrivals and departures and studied the screen for a moment before making her way over to a row of mostly empty chairs that sat off to the right. As she had been the very first time he had seen her, Davina was wearing her dove gray pea-coat, but this time with a shirt and jeans that were of more muted colors—a deep burgundy blouse coupled with black leggings, accented with a pair of calf length gray leather boots. Her hair was secured in a loose, messy bun, with stray strands of glistening russet falling lax to frame her face in an endearing manner. She parked herself down in one of the seats and quickly withdrew a book from within the confines of her bag, pulled it open and began to read. He felt the sudden urge to approach her, his brief interest in Amaya's mischievous proposal swiftly waning.

"Earth to Shuichi," he heard, accompanied by a sharp snapping sound. That snapped him out of the trance he had unknowingly slipped into, and he returned his attention to his purple haired companion, inexplicably annoyed by her presence now.

"So, are you free tonight? We could—"

"I'm afraid I'm not available tonight," he interjected bluntly, quickly rising to his feet. He was hard pressed to understand the sense of urgency he was now entertaining to remove himself from her side and go to Davina—after all, Amaya was openly offering to see to the needs he was eager to satisfy, and while he certainly was curious about her talents, that desire appeared to pale in comparison to his want to interact with the auburn haired female.

"Well, when are you free? And where are you running off to? The train won't be here for another fifteen minutes," she replied, her voice suddenly irritated and peppered with envy.

"I have family obligations this weekend," he told her firmly. It was a bold faced lie, but one he knew she wouldn't try to protest against. "My friend just arrived, and we had plans to ride the train together to school, so if you'll excuse me…" Another well placed lie—he could practically smell the discontentment as it leaked through Amaya's pores at his blatant dismissal, but he found himself short of caring. Without another word, he took his leave of her, feeling the pressure of her glare digging into his back as he crossed the station floor and advanced to where Davina was sitting.

She appeared lost in the story she was reading, and failed to notice Shuichi's presence as he approached her from the side. Even when he perched on the seat beside her, she didn't seem to be aware of him. Something within him grumbled at her lack of attention, but it was quickly remedied when he spoke her name.

"Davina," he offered with a small smile, prompting her to look up from her novel. Her name rolled off of his tongue in a pleasant manner, and he felt whatever gnashed in irritation deep within his bones grown calm almost instantly. She appeared confused at first, but realization was quick to dawn upon her as their eyes met and stares held. She looked momentarily startled by his sudden appearance, but swiftly recovered from her surprise, a friendly smile forming across her lips.

"Morning, Shuichi. Sorry about that," she replied almost sheepishly, quickly returning her bookmark to her current page and pushing the book shut. Her actions internally pleased him, understanding fully that he now possessed her full attention. "I don't recall seeing you take the train before—is everything okay?" She looked mildly concerned for him, which warmed him in a way he rather enjoyed.

"Typically, I ride my bike, but with the weather looking so bleak, I decided this was a better option for today," he explained, to which she nodded in agreement.

"It does look like the bottom's ready to fall out," she replied in turn, appearing thoughtful.

"Do you mind if I join you for the ride?" he asked quietly, not wanting to appear impolite and force his presence upon her.

"Of course," she replied without hesitation, then smiled over at him once again, that familiar twinkle of admiration filling her golden green eyes at his innocent inquiry. "It'll be a nice change to have you around."

Her words filled him with a strange contentment—knowing that she desired his presence inspired him to feel bold.

"Any plans for the weekend?" he asked, curious.

"Not particularly. Unless you count cleaning my apartment and grocery shopping," she responded with a chuckle. "How about yourself?"

"Ah, the necessary evils of being an adult with responsibilities," he responded, quite liking the way her nose slightly crinkled when she laughed. "Apart from work, I'm afraid I don't have much else going on."

"Well, maybe we could meet up for a coffee or something," Davina offered. "I mean, only if you'd like to—there's no obligation to do so, obviously." Her cheeks suddenly flushed, swiftly becoming a soft shade of pink. "I'm sorry, I know that was forward of me."

Her self-conscious feedback from asking for his future company had Shuichi chuckling softly. It was endearing, to say the least.

"No need to be embarrassed," he replied, hoping to ease the discomfort she was visibly experiencing. "I would very much like to have coffee with you," he continued, his tone growing soft. "It would be an opportunity to get to know each other better."

A look of utter surprise blanked Davina's visage at his words. She clearly hadn't expected a favorable reply from him. A rush of mild amusement flooded through Shuichi at her reaction, and he couldn't help but smile warmly over at her.

"Would it be alright if I asked for your phone number?" he inquired casually, interested to see how she would respond to his straightforward request. "So we can flesh out the details?"

"Of course," she nearly sputtered, watching him as he reached for his phone. When he was ready, she rattled off the digits for him, which he carefully plugged into his phone's memory and saved under her name.

"There, it's saved," he announced with a small smile. "I'll send you a quick message so that you'll have mine as well."

"Sounds good."

Shuichi opened his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by an announcement being made over the P.A. system of the station that their train into Osaka was incoming. Almost in unison, both Shuichi and Davina rose to their feet, and he trailed her over to the edge of the railway to await the arriving transport. A small crowd had begun to form of eager people ready to catch the incoming train, so they stood in close proximity with one another, close enough for Shuichi to catch a hearty whiff of her perfume—he inhaled it deeply into his lungs, delighted by the spicy sweet fragrance. At such a close range, he realized their true difference in height—even though the boots Davina currently wore gave her an additional inch or so, there was a solid six inches of difference between them.

While they were waiting, the space they inhabited grew fairly warm, despite the chilly, circulated air of the station's interior. In an effort to stay comfortable, Davina shrugged off of her coat and draped it over the crook of her arm. Shuichi felt his breath catch in his throat as he snuck a quick glance down, able to witness ample curves that the jacket had hidden away and that the jeans she typically wore did not overly pronounce. He found himself grateful for the sudden warmth of the vast room, his hands itching with an instinctive desire to reach out and squeeze that deliciously rounded bottom that stood so close to his body. He did nothing of the sort, of course, knowing it wouldn't be an appropriate gesture, but he admired it all the same. Davina appeared oblivious to his hungry stare, her back almost completely to him as they stood among the throng of other travelers.

Finally, the train pulled into the hub and slowly slid to a full stop, the departure doors opening on the opposing side to allow the current riders the opportunity to exit. They made their way onto the transport when the set of doors on their end opened—the interior was already quite packed with people, and there were no available seats by the time they managed to climb onboard, so the pair resorted to standing, gripping the overhead hand rails to steady themselves in preparation for their impending departure. More people piled in, forcing Shuichi and Davina even closer together, to the point where she stood with her back nearly flush against his front. He could feel the heat of her flesh, so near to his own, and internally he growled, wanting more of it, more of her. He forced those feelings away, mildly perturbed that they were so potent.

When the train finally took off, the sudden forward velocity caused Davina to jolt backwards, the full length of her backside pressing firmly against his body. Shuichi gasped at the sudden unanticipated contact, and even though it was only for the briefest of moments, he felt a sudden blossom of heat unfurl within his lower extremities.

"Sorry!" Davina exclaimed at the touch, quickly pushing herself forward to avoid touching him. The crests of her cheeks darkened once more, and the pleasant aroma of her perfume was suddenly accompanied by something new—while it couldn't exactly place it, it wasn't at all unpleasant, and it made his internal self eager for more contact.

"It's quite all right," he assured her evenly, his voice calm despite the whirlwind of things he was internally experiencing. In truth, he hoped for more of the same.

The remainder of the short ride into Osaka was had in relative silence—when they reached their destination, it was a far easier task to exit the train than it had been to board. Once the pair were free of the transport, they made their way out of the depo and began the brief walk towards Chishiki No Eda. The sky had gone from a dismal gray to ominous black, and the wind had picked up considerably, howling through the tall buildings of the cityscape with rancorous force. Davina slipped back into the warm protection of her coat, appearing visibly alarmed at the gloomy conditions overhead.

"Glum, isn't it?" Shuichi offered conversationally as they ambled forward on swift legs, maintaining each other's rapid pace.

"If we make it onto the campus before all hell breaks loose, it will be a small victory," she replied agreeably.

"I do believe we'll manage," he offered reassuringly, smiling mildly as she glanced over at him, the concern on her face lessening at his words. "We're nearly there already." He could smell the impending rain as it brewed within the dark clouds, but believed that, given their hasty stride, they would safely arrive at the main hall prior to the storm commencing.

As they continued their walk, Shuichi could feel the presence of eyes digging firmly into his back—it was a stare tainted by discontentment, and it didn't take much to deduce that it was Amaya who was glaring at him in such a manner from her position nearly half a block back—a quick glance over his shoulder confirmed these suspicions. Shuichi could sense her displeasure at seeing him in the presence of a female that wasn't herself, and the scowl plastered across her face was a blatant indicator of the scorned feeling she was entertaining. But he was unable to debate this realization further, because Davina began to speak, claiming his full attention once more.

"Just about there," she announced, the main gate of the campus appearing as they rounded the final corner on their venture. "Did you happen to bring an umbrella? All of my classes are within the main corridor today, so if you need to borrow mine, I'd be more than happy to let you use it."

Her offer prompted Shuichi to smile, warmed by her innate concern for his wellbeing.

"I did bring one for myself, but I very much appreciate your offer," he replied softly. They finally arrived at their destination, slipping in through the gate and making their way into the safety of the campus hall. Their arrival was punctuated by a loud clap of harsh thunder, which startled Davina, causing her to nearly jump in response to the deafening echo. Within seconds of that menacing roar, the dark sky erupted, torrents of rain pouring forth to blanket the outside world.

"Looks like you were right—we made it just in time," she announced with a smile of relief.

Shuichi nodded, mirroring her visage with his own, then glanced down at the watch that adorned his right wrist to check the time—his first class wasn't set to begin for another seventeen minutes.

"Well, aren't we a lucky pair," he replied with a pleased smirk, which caused Davina to chuckle.

"I suppose that's true," she responded, watching as several other students pushed their way through the hall doors, drenched to the bone from getting caught in the maelstrom that they had managed to so narrowly avoid.

"Well, I better get off to class," she continued, sounding suddenly unhappy. The change in her tone wasn't lost on Shuichi, and he wondered if it was born of disappointment that came with them having to part ways. He had been rather enjoying her company, as brief as it had been, and found himself hoping she was feeling the same way. His consideration was confirmed when she tacked on a reminder for him to text her so that she too would possess his number, and they could continue to plan their outing. Little did she know that he had planned to do so the moment he arrived at his classroom, lest he forget when he became consumed with the day's assignments.

"Well, this has been nice," Davina said, meeting his stare and holding it firmly, despite her tone having grown shy. "I'm...looking forward to hearing from you later. Have a good day, Shuichi." She took her leave of him then—he watched her go, his eyes lingering on her retreating form. She paused near the corner to wave back to him, smiling as she did so—he returned her gesture enthusiastically, feeling a sense of loss at the sudden absence of her presence.

He turned to head down the opposing corridor, consumed by his internal thoughts and paying little attention to his surroundings. Perhaps he should have been more aware of his environment, because he nearly ran into Amaya, who had been unfortunate enough to get caught in the downpour and was looking worse for wear. She was absolutely soaked, her violet hair hanging limp in its ponytail, and her carefully applied makeup smudged beyond repair, leaving faint black circles beneath her eyes. Her face was narrowed into a scathing glare, her blue eyes bright with rage.

"Seriously? You blew me off for _that_?" she hissed vehemently, her lips curling up into a righteous snarl. Irritation immediately flooded throughout Shuichi's entire person, annoyed by both her presence and statement.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," he replied coldly, his face growing stoic as he fixed her with an icy stare. "By insinuating that I 'blew you off' would mean that we had plans in place, which we did not. I informed you that I already had plans to meet with my friend, so I don't appreciate your imagined slight."

Any feelings of interest Shuichi had been previously entertaining towards Amaya had abruptly vanished. Her jealous, overzealous reaction had effectively voided all desire he had briefly entertained towards her, and now he found himself wanting to be free of her company. He knew he was being a bit harsh, perhaps, but he was in no mood to tiptoe around to spare the feelings of a female who took it upon herself to react so childishly when she failed to get her way. Satisfied with his statement, Shuichi parted ways with her, leaving her to stand in the hall way, her mouth agape in surprise.

Shortly after his arrival into his homeroom and with twelve minutes to spare before the start of class, Shuichi pulled his cell phone out of the confines of his pocket and pulled up a blank message addressed to Davina's number. He typed out a short greeting, and sent it along before slipping the phone back into its holding place. While other students began to file into the classroom, Shuichi's mind shuffled through all the possibilities of a future meet up with Davina, smiling slightly to himself as he did so. Between chores, errands to run, and an evening work shift, his Saturday was already spoken for, but apart from brunch with his mother on Sunday, his afternoon was free. He made a mental note to suggest that particular time for their outing, whatever it would be. Regardless of what was to be decided upon, Shuichi found himself excited at the prospects—he couldn't recall the last time he had been so eager for such an interaction. As class began, he found it almost difficult to concentrate—he only hoped that time would be kind and move quickly so that he could see her once again.

. . .

When Davina roused from sleep early that Friday morning and was met with a dark room that lacked its usual hint of morning sunlight seeping in pass the narrow slits in the blinds, she was almost concerned. After crawling out of bed and slipping on her robe, she headed for the front door, curiously poking her head out—the sky looked absolutely bleak, riddled with dark clouds and the outside air thick with humidity that lingered before the coming of a storm. In light of the poor weather, she wasted no time in getting ready for her day, hoping to a higher power that by being proactive, she would be able to make it to her campus and avoid getting caught in the impending squall. It was nearly a solid hour before she would typically leave her apartment to head into Osaka, but the early venture would prove worthwhile if she could arrive before things got bad.

She arrived at the train station, which was already fairly full of people all with the same mindset as her. Stepping over to survey the board announcing all incoming and outgoing trains, Davina hunted for the orange line, happy to see that it was set to pull into the depo in just about fifteen minutes. That would allot her plenty of time to get to Chishiki No Eda, even with the additional influx of others who were all planning on the same method of travel as opposed to using their bikes or walking to their destination in an attempt to not get hung out in the rain.

Davina secured a seat on a nearly empty row of chairs perched near the travel screen, and pulled _Red Dragon_ from its secure place within her backpack. She was nearly through with her reread of the novel, and wished to complete it so she could begin another over the weekend—she found herself considering giving Wilbur Smith's _River God_ another whirl, for it had been several years since she last read it and it was one of her absolute favorite stories, set in ancient Egypt and following the intricate life of a slave belonging to a powerful and evil man. If not, she toyed with the idea of hitting the small bookstore in downtown Kaiden and seeing what they had on offer—not that she had much spare space left within the only bookshelf she could fit into her small apartment, but she would make due. There was no such thing as having too many books—how she missed her massive collection and copious shelf space back at her home in Denver. During her next venture to the states, Davina planned to switch out a few of current selections for different ones, although she knew the process of picking which titles to trade would be a harsh one.

Davina had barely made it a full page in before she sensed a pair of eyes boring into her—she ignored the pressure of the stare at first, curious of whom they belonged to, but not in the mood to converse with a stranger. She kept her eyes drawn to the text in front of her, even as her unannounced companion slid into the seat beside her. Only when the unnamed presence spoke her name did she bother to look up, mildly startled—considering how few people she actually knew here, she certainly hadn't been anticipating it. Vivid green eyes locked with her own, and she was immediately able to place who they belonged to, a smile quickly forming upon her lips at the realization.

"Morning, Shuichi. Sorry about that," she offered, trying to swallow down her surprise at seeing him sitting there—her mind immediately leapt to the drawing she had done the night before, and she experienced a sudden rush of both pleasure and unease. She had sketched his visage almost perfectly, despite having only seen his face a handful of times. To realize that his face was so engrained in her mind in such intricate detail inspired a strange feeling, as if her brain was adamant about recalling such a thing. Davina didn't really understand why—she had a very good memory, but it certainly wasn't a photographic one. Regardless, it was a face she was truly happy to see in a sea of strangers. In truth, he too was still a stranger to her, but decidedly less of one than those who milled about her. "I don't recall seeing you take the train before—is everything okay?"

"Typically, I ride my bike, but with the weather looking so bleak, I decided this was a better option for today," he replied, quelling her worry. She nodded her head in understanding, feeling sheepish for such an inquiry. Of course he would be trying to avoid the bad weather—everyone was.

"It does look like the bottom's ready to fall out," Davina responded softly.

"Do you mind if I join you for the ride?" he requested after a second's hesitation.

"Of course," she responded, smiling over at him. The thought of having him accompany her for the venture to campus certainly made her happy at the prospect, and perhaps it would even give her the opportunity to know him a little better—she was undoubtedly curious about him, feeling as if there were far more to Shuichi than he cared to let on. "It'll be a nice change to have you around." Considering it was a journey she had been making on her own, it would be a pleasure to have some company for the short duration, and not just the company of anyone, but the one person she couldn't seem to shake from her subconscious.

"Any plans for the weekend?" he inquired casually.

"Not particularly. Unless you count cleaning my apartment and grocery shopping," Davina offered with a sardonic chuckle. It was boring enough response, but it was the truth. She rather enjoyed being a homebody of sorts—going out on occasion was enjoyable, but she did not consider herself to be an overly social sort of person. The fact that she hadn't really made any friends in the city yet didn't provide her with many options for communal ventures. "How about yourself?"

"Ah, the necessary evils of being an adult with responsibilities," Shuichi offered, his blunt summary of her obligations causing her to laugh mildly—he was right, of course. "Apart from work, I'm afraid I don't have much else going on."

"Well, maybe we could meet up for a coffee or something," she said, spouting the words before considering the implications. The request tore out of her mouth, as if her tongue had a mind that was separate from her own. "I mean, only if you'd like to—there's no obligation to do so, obviously." Embarrassment suddenly flooded through her, causing her cheeks to redden with heat as she mentally kicked herself. "I'm sorry, I know that was forward of me." As someone who more often than not carefully measured her words before speaking, to eject such a thing without thinking was unlike her—she braced herself for a negative response.

Surprise followed when Shuichi chuckled at her brazen inquiry.

"No need to be embarrassed. I would very much like to have coffee with you," he replied, his voice growing almost quiet. "It would be an opportunity to get to know each other better."

Davina could feel the muscles in her face contort with shock—she hadn't anticipated that he'd be amenable to the idea—after all, she was more or less a stranger to him, someone to which he had no obligation. And yet, he had readily agreed to join her for an outing, and was now smiling kindly over at her, his green eyes glittering with silent mirth.

"Would it be alright if I asked for your phone number? So we can flesh out the details?" he asked, and Davina felt her stomach do a nervous flip. She swallowed slightly, attempting to maintain her demeanor.

"Of course," she replied, her words almost unsteady as they left her lips. He quickly reached for his phone, and she spoke the numbers aloud to him, watching as he punched in the digits into his contacts.

"There, it's saved. I'll send you a quick message so that you'll have mine as well."

"Sounds good," she responded, her tone softening. Excitement bubbled within her at the thought of being able to communicate with him on a more personal level going forward. Such a thing could open a great many doors, although she was somewhat hesitant to consider what lie behind them—she wanted to get to know him better before she even bothered to think about the future and whatever it held in store.

When the announcement echoed forth over the speakers that their train was incoming, they both stood, with Davina taking the lead to perch on the platform. A crowd of likeminded travelers quickly gathered, pushing them quite close to one another. Even with her back to him, Davina was hyperaware of Shuichi's presence behind her—their difference in height wasn't staggering, but it was obvious, even from her current position. It quickly became warm in the enclosed space, heated by the presence of many bodies as they lingered. Davina slipped carefully out of her pea-coat, wanting to avoid becoming overheated while they waited, and hung it over her arm, knowing that she would want it on once more when they were free of the throng.

The train pulled into the depo, and after those travelers departing fled the cart, they piled on—every seat was spoken for, and the interior was brimming with people, giving them no option but to remain standing for the duration of the ride into Osaka. They perched near the exit doors, each claiming a small section of the handrail to cling to. Even more people followed suit, which pressed her even closer to Shuichi. They were nearly touching, her back angled against his front, close enough where she could feel the warmth of his body—it was a pleasant sensation, one that inspired a heat to blossom deep within Davina's belly. At such proximity, she could smell the fragrant aroma of Shuichi's cologne—it was deep and earthy, sandalwood, or patchouli, with an odd floral undertone vaguely reminiscent of roses. She inhaled it deeply into her lungs, deciding quickly that she rather liked it. It suited him perfectly—masculine yet subtle. Davina nearly sighed, enjoying the moment far more than she cared to admit.

When the train finally launched forward, the momentum caused Davina to fall back into Shuichi, their bodies colliding for a brief moment—the touch sent a shockwave rippling through Davina, something deep within her body humming in delight at the unanticipated collision. A soft gasp fled Shuichi at the contact, and she felt her face immediately grow hot once more.

"Sorry!" she almost squeaked, pulling herself as far forward as she could manage with the assistance of the handrail, attempting to quell her mortification before he could witness it.

"It's quite all right," he replied, his voice seemingly unaffected, which came as a relief to her. It had been an accident, after all. The rest of the ride was a quick one had in quiet, and when they arrived at the station in Osaka, they quickly disembarked, which proved to be far easier than boarding it had been. They exited the station, and Davina was immediately dismayed, surveying the angry looking sky with concern. The conditions had grown even bleaker, the clouds darker and looming dangerously overhead. The wind whipped past them as they walked, prompting Davina to pull her coat back on over her shoulders to avoid an unpleasant chill.

"Glum, isn't it?" Shuichi said as they ambled onward, matching each other's stride.

"If we make it onto the campus before all hell breaks loose, it will be a small victory," she offered, silently praying to a higher power that they would be able to do so. Many of her classrooms were quite cold, and the idea of going throughout her day with damp clothing was something she'd prefer to avoid, if possible.

"I do believe we'll manage—we're nearly there already."

They continued their fast pace, and Davina nearly sighed in relief as they approached the last corner. They might be lucky, after all.

"Just about there," she said happily as the campus came into view, close enough for her to believe that they would manage to avoid the poor weather after all. She considered herself fortunate that all of her classes for the day were located throughout the main hall, so even once the rain began, she wouldn't have to fight the outdoors to move from room to room. However, she wasn't certain about Shuichi's situation for the day—he didn't appear to have brought an umbrella with him, and she didn't want him to get caught out in the bad weather without one.

"Did you happen to bring an umbrella? All of my classes are within the main corridor today, so if you need to borrow mine, I'd be more than happy to let you use it," she offered.

He smiled over at her admiringly, as if he was pleased by her worry over him.

"I did bring one for myself, but I very much appreciate your offer."

They made it past the gate and strode into the main campus hall, which prompted Davina to sigh in relief. Just as they breeched the doors, a roar of thunder echoed forth from the sky, which almost caused her to jump in shock. Mere seconds later, rain began to hammer down, catching those unlucky enough to have not entered the safety of the building in a heavy downpour.

"Looks like you were right—we made it just in time," she said to Shuichi, smiling widely.

Shuichi nodded in agreement, sparing a quick glance down at his wristwatch to check the time.

"Well, aren't we a lucky pair," he offered with a smirk, his reaction prompting Davina to chuckle softly.

"I suppose that's true," she replied, watching those unfortunate students push their way into the hall, soaked through and looking absolutely disheveled. Davina glanced at the clock that hung over the entrance, fighting back a rush of disappointment. She still had plenty of time to get to her classroom, but needed to use the restroom before heading there, thanks to that last cup of coffee she had consumed prior to their venture.

"Well, I better get off to class," she said, trying to keep the unhappiness out of her tone, but failing to do so. "Don't forget to shoot me a message when you can," she tacked on, almost as a secondary thought, trying to appear casual about wanting to speak further with him. "Well, this has been nice—I'm...looking forward to hearing from you later. Have a good day, Shuichi." She made a hasty exit then, her bladder demanding that she locate the nearest facilities and relieve herself. Despite the urgency, Davina felt herself hesitate as she approached the corner of the corridor, fixing her companion with a quick wave and smiling back at him. He mirrored her gesture with enthusiasm, and with a spring in her step, she continued to move onward.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Davina headed towards the lecture hall assigned to her first class and selected a seat near the center of the vast vestibule. She was just about to reach for her book to entertain herself for the ten or so minutes of free time that remained when her phone vibrated within the confines of her bag, announcing that she had received a message. She dug for her phone and freed it from its hiding place, smiling to herself as an unfamiliar number flashed across the screen, accompanied by text that had a quick greeting, followed by Shuichi's name. She swiftly saved the digits into her contacts list, content with the fact that he had followed through and reached out to her. She hadn't expected it to be so quick, but was certainly happy that it had been. The urge to message him back right then and there was a strong one indeed, but she forced it aside—odds were that he was preparing himself for his class and wouldn't been keen on responding until later. She didn't wish to seem too eager, either, out of fear it would somehow inspire him to change his mind about later interactions. Instead, she replaced her phone within her bag, making a mental note to pen a reply while she was between classes or at lunch.

Davina's attention found her book once more, but again, she found it difficult to concentrate on the words. Her mind was adamant about considering things concerning a certain redheaded male, and seemed willing to entertain little else. She still couldn't believe she had been so brazen to voice her internal want for more of his time in the manner that she had, and yet, for once, it had appeared to work in her favor. Plans had yet to even be made, and here she sat, longing for them with a desperation she did not particularly understand. Her curiosity began to run wild, wondering about all sorts of vague, unimportant details about Shuichi—what his favorite color was, his preferences in music, his hobbies. She hoped their meet up would happen sooner rather than later, but she wouldn't push for it. Her current objective was simply to get through her Friday, hoping she could spare the attention it would require to not fall behind in her class work.

The weekend couldn't come fast enough, and, if she were lucky enough, it would include more time spent in the company of the charming, yet strange man who had seamlessly managed to captivate her thoughts in ways she hadn't believed to be possible.  
. . .

*Author's Note: Just wanted to pass on a thank you to Glass Dragon's Rose for being so kind and leaving me a review. To be honest, I've never been a fan of the Keiko and Yusuke pairing—their relationship just never seemed like it would end well, even with good intentions. And I entirely agree with your thought about Yusuke while he was over in Demon World. I do have to say, while I don't have anything concrete plotted for that particular pairing within this story as of yet, odds are it will not be a fairytale conclusion for them when it comes down to it. No disrespect to anyone who favors the Yusuke and Keiko ship—it's just simply not my cup of tea. Another thank you to all of those readers who followed/favorited this story: notyoursatrap, dollie7712, CreamPuffnStuff, and Jiyuugaoka. You all are very much appreciated! The next chapter is underway—I'm hoping to update once every week, life permitting. Thank you all!


	5. Chapter 5 - Reality or Fiction

[[[A brief warning: there will be blatant adult themes towards the end of this chapter; a further warning is in place as a reminder just before the mature segment begins. It's not glaringly necessary to the plot, so if you do not enjoy themes of a sexual nature, then please skip past that part of the chapter—the conclusion of the segment is clearly marked. To those who decide to read, please do so at your own discretion. Throughout the story, there will be more content of this nature, but all will be clearly defined at the beginning of the chapters that include such scenes, and each segment will have warnings posted prior to where they begin.]]]

After her final class of the day, Davina decided, after some deliberation, to swing by the campus library before heading home. She had been assigned her first research paper of the semester, and was eager to make some headway on it. Two hours and a cup of coffee later, she headed for the train station, pleased to see that the nasty weather had finally relented and the sun had dared to peak out from among the gray patchwork of the clouds. She hadn't yet received a reply from Shuichi, and couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed, even if the feeling was a tad premature. He was probably busy, either with school, perhaps work, or maybe even his family. Davina counseled herself to remain patient, and put faith in the notion that he would contact her when he could—he didn't seem like the kind of person to make frivolous decisions or not see things through, but considering how little she truly knew about him, it was hard to make a solid judgment. But her gut told her that she would definitely be hearing from him soon, and she decided to trust that feeling. Better that then work herself up on what ifs and negative thoughts, neither of which would benefit her in the slightest.

It was just after six when she finally arrived at her apartment—she milled about for a bit, grabbing a quick snack of salty senbei rice crackers and a tall glass of water as she got a jump start on tidying her apartment. She threw in a load of laundry, swept the floors, and put away the few dishes that had been left to dry on the drain rack, all the while contemplating what to do with what remained her of evening. With the rain having dissipated and the weather being agreeable, Davina considered taking a walk down to the nearby park—she had ventured past it several times during her trips into the downtown district, but had yet to stop in and see it for herself. In truth, it wasn't a very big place, but quaint, home to a small manmade lake surrounded by a cobblestone walking path, and plenty of trees to provide shade and ambiance. After some brief mulling over, she decided to check it out, bringing her book along with her for the journey.

Davina reached the commons in what amounted to a short, six minute walk and headed through the tall iron wrought arch that served as the entrance and bore the park's name, engraved into the metal plate.

"Yureihana Park," Davina muttered to herself, quirking a curious brow at the unusual name. The translation, if she was correct, meant ghost flower—certainly a strange name for a park, but she found herself liking it all the same. As she ventured further inside, she spotted a massive collection of peculiar flowers clustered near the roots of the many trees—upon closer inspection, she recognized the vivid red blossoms as spider lilies, and suddenly, the venue's name made much more sense. The crimson blooms, which were also known as higanbana, were often called ghost flowers and typically left at graves, disliked due to their association with death despite their eccentric beauty. The commons was littered with them, those odd, spider-like flora appearing to almost glow with their flamboyant scarlet hue against the dark green foliage. Davina admired them for a long minute then continued onward, heading toward the lake. She ambled along the stone path for a while, making her way around the calm body of water before perching on one of the empty benches that sat along the outer perimeter.

Withdrawing her novel from her bag, Davina picked up at her last bookmarked page and began to read, the soft sounds of nature instilling a comforting calm within her that inspired her body to relax. The previous rain had left a pleasant chill in the air, and much of the lingering humidity had dissipated. The fresh air was much appreciated, and she sucked it deep into the confines of her lungs, enjoying the faint floral fragrance that wafted forth from the many spider lilies that dwelled about.

Soon, she finished what remained of her novel, and with a soft sigh, slipped her book back into its holding place, her attention drawn to the lake. The water was a deep shade of black blue and nearly still, with only the slight movement of the wind to cause an occasional ripple on the smooth surface. She stared at the sight in silent appreciation for a long minute, just before the quiet was interrupted by a low growl deep within her belly. Apparently, the snack she had consumed before her excursion hadn't been enough to quell her hunger—she knew that she had few options at home, with grocery shopping on her to-do list for tomorrow. But with it being a Friday night, odds were that most places would be busy, and she wasn't much in a mood to deal with the bustle and loudness of a crowded restaurant, so she would have to make do with what she had available. She decided to linger for a few extra minutes, simply enjoying the serenity of her surroundings.

Without warning, the center of the lake began to swirl in an odd formation—it was subtle at first, but quickly gained speed and force, creating an odd whirlpool among the dark water. Davina stared at the disturbance with curiosity, wondering just what was causing it—the wind was nearly non-existent, and certainly wouldn't cause such an effect—maybe an animal?

Intrigued by the strange occurrence, she left the bench and approached the edge of the lake in an attempt to get a better look. But as she walked over, the bizarre motion ceased, and the water calmed once more. She stared at the spot that had been swirling only seconds before, rapidly blinking her eyes and questioning herself if she had truly witnessed such a thing or if it had been a figment of her imagination.

The sound of a throat clearing near Davina's feet startled her, nearly causing her to leap up in fright. Her gaze immediately fell downward, fixating on an alien looking creature, the likes of which she had never seen before. It was small, perhaps the size of a house cat, and bore an eerie resemblance to the fictional Cornish pixies that hailed from the _Harry Potter_ series, sans the tiny wings. The outlandish creature stared up at her with onyx eyes that seemed to glisten, and held something up to her in its tiny hands—the bauble it offered was a spherical gem of some sort, about the size of a ping pong ball and opaque, with colors reminiscent of a Mexican fire opal. Oddly enough, the jewel looked quite similar to a pendant her mother owned—Davina had always admired it, liking the colors of the oddly hued stone. She had never seen another quite like it before.

"A gift," the creature said, its voice high pitched and words spoken in a language unlike anything she had ever heard before, but could somehow understand. Before her own actions could register even to herself, Davina reached out and took the gem from the strange being, clasping it firmly between her index finger and thumb. The stone itself seemed to hum with power, and had an inexplicable warmth that radiated forth from it. She stared down at it, then glanced back over at the creature, who smiled up at her, revealing a row of tiny, needle-sharp teeth. "The Kurosuna family sends their affection, little one."

Before Davina's mind could form a response, the alien being slipped away, leaping back into the dark waters from which it had emerged. If she hadn't witnessed the disturbance it left in its wake, she might have believed that it hadn't been there in the first place.

Frozen in place, Davina's eyes were drawn to the gem, raising it to her level of sight to examine it further. It glittered with a vague, understated beauty, the inner parts of it glimmering with colorful fractals. Her mind fought to process the interaction that had just occurred, unsure of what had just conspired. It certainly wasn't a product of her imagination, as overactive as it could be—she stood there holding proof in her hand. But what the hell was that…thing? And the language it had spoken, it echoed within the confines of her mind, confused as to how she could understand a speech she did not know.

For a brief moment, she considered tossing the gem into the lake from which it had come, but hesitated—if the creature still lingered beneath the surface, she didn't want to risk angering it. Instead, she placed it in the pocket of her coat for safekeeping. Once more, she glanced out onto the lake, momentarily questioning her sanity. What had just happened couldn't be real, and yet, somehow it was. Both intrigued and disturbed, Davina fled the park, her mind reeling. She had so many questions, and no one to ask.

All previous feelings of tranquility had vanished, and it wasn't until she was back within the familiarity of her apartment did Davina take a second to catch her breath. Her surroundings offered some semblance of comfort, but did little to shake her unease as she kicked off her shoes and peeled off her jacket, hanging it upon the rack that hung near the door. She then sat at her desk, attempting to calm herself and collect her thoughts. The name the creature had given her wasn't one she knew—'_The Kurosuna family sends their affection, little one'_, rang out inside her head like a maddening mantra, spoken in the creature's shrill tone. It sent a harsh shudder racing down the length of her spine. Who were the Kurosuna? Why had they given her a gift? Where had the creature come from? What was it? How was such a thing even_ possible_?

"Black sand," she said the translation of the surname out loud, trying to wrap her mind around it and coming up empty handed. If anything, it only inspired further questions. She toyed with the idea of withdrawing the gem from its hiding place within her coat pocket, but found herself lacking the energy to move and fetch it—to hold it in her hand and look upon it would only further instill that the interaction had occurred in reality and wasn't some outlandish fantasy byproduct of her imagination.

Despite her lack of willingness, after several minutes of internally arguing with herself, Davina rose to her feet and collected the stone from its hiding place. The urge to call her mother and question her was suddenly overwhelming—it was the same type of gem in her necklace, she was nearly sure of it. Best to start there—after all, if she went about spouting stories of some otherworldly creature suddenly appearing from the depths of a lake to deliver a rock, her mother would probably think she had lost her mind entirely. But somewhere along the lines of the grabbing her phone and pulling up her mother's cell phone number, with her finger hovering just over the call button, Davina lost her nerve—never mind the fact that, with the time difference, it was just after four in the morning over in Denver. If she called now, not only would her mother think she had gone mad, but she would also be livid at being woken up at such an early hour. Frustrated, she threw the phone down on her desk, feeling at a loss of how to proceed.

She was taken by the sudden urge to sketch the creature, just on the off chance its image faded from her mind's eye. Quickly grabbing up her sketch book, Davina set to work, her pencil dancing over the thick paper in a flurry. In spite of the frightening subject matter, the comfort of the familiar action soon managed to quell her concern some, and she felt a strange sense of relief wash over her as she fine tuned the details of her artwork, adding in strokes of color in the appropriate shades. Upon completion of her artwork, she laid the instruments down with a sigh, eying the sketch with a critical eye. She had even drawn the gemstone clasped in its hands—it mirrored perfectly the talisman that sat just above her book. Once again, she found herself staring at the stone, awash in conflicting feelings of admiration and loathing.

Suddenly, Davina felt herself grow heated with anger—she felt helpless, plagued by the unknown, and with no one to talk to. Slamming her sketchbook closed, she snatched up the gem and hid it away within the confines of a small jewelry box that sat atop her dresser, burying it within a drawer that held no other articles. She was shaking by the time she left her bedroom, and stomped into the washroom to rinse her face. She gripped the sides of the sink in her hands, the cold porcelain a welcoming change against her warm flesh.

A distraction—she needed a distraction, lest the barrage of unanswered questions drive her to insanity.

Taking a deep breath, Davina relocated to the kitchen, making herself a cup of hot chai tea. Her hunger had been long forgotten in light of the events that had occurred, and hadn't returned. She settled down on her bed with her laptop, intent on watching a movie—in light of her current literary selection, she selected _The Silence Of The Lambs_ from her library and set it to play. It was a film she had seen countless times before, but among her favorites, and she forced herself to focus on it, finding vague comfort in the dark storyline.

In spite of the odds, her plan had the desired effect—by the movie's conclusion, she felt somewhat better. She decided it best to continue with her current course and made herself a fresh cup of tea after a quick trip to the bathroom to relieve herself. As the movie _Hannibal_ began to play, she ventured over to her desk to reclaim her phone, only to realize that she had an unread message. It was from nearly two hours prior, and from Shuichi—he had finally found the time to respond to her.

'_Sorry for the delay. Will you be free Sunday afternoon?_' the text read. Davina glanced at the time in the upper right corner of her phone—it was nearing ten. Probably too late to return his inquiry, but Davina found herself typing up a response just the same.

'_Sounds perfect. Any ideas on where you'd like to meet up?_'

Given the late hour, she wasn't anticipated a response, so when her phone vibrated in her hand mere seconds later, she nearly dropped it out of surprise.

"Get it together, girl," she scolded herself, angry that she was still feeling so on edge. She clicked on the new message and read it quickly, a small smile perching across her lips.

'_I've got something in mind. If you can meet me at the train station at 2, we can go from there_.'

'_A surprise_,' she thought, mildly amused at the idea. '_Well, that's almost…romantic…_'

Mentally, Davina kicked herself. It was just a friendly outing, not a date. And yet, by him keeping the details of their impending meeting a secret, it felt like more than just a casual hangout. The thought both irked and intrigued her.

'_Sounds like a plan. I'll see you there at 2 on Sunday_.'

Once again, her phone buzzed, a new message popping up on the screen.

'_Great, looking forward to it. I'll see you on Sunday. Have a good night_.'

The smile on her face widened at his confirmation—so, it was really happening. The thought both excited and worried her, wondering just what Shuichi was plotting for their venture. She considered replying with well wishes of her own, but ultimately decided against it. It was fairly late, and Shuichi didn't strike her as being a night owl—he seemed more like a morning person, judging by what she knew of him. Early to bed, early to rise, and all of that drivel. Perhaps it was a fabrication born of her own thoughts, but she currently had no evidence to contrary. He had certainly seemed bright eyed and bushy tailed during their morning interactions earlier that day, where as she had been little more than half awake until their unanticipated collision while on the train. The press of her body against his, while exceedingly brief, had been hard to shake from her mind. Even from that slight contact, she could feel the firmness of his lithe form, hidden away beneath his clothing. Davina found herself imagining the faint touch yet again and shuddered at the recollection. She wanted more of it, even if she was hesitant to admit to such a desire.

Returning to the comfort of her bed, Davina settled in and turned her attention back to her laptop screen, slowly immersing herself into the cinematic world of Thomas Harris's creation. There was something soothing about Anthony Hopkin's voice, even when cast in the role of a brutal serial murderer with cannibalistic tendencies.

"_'__He woke her then, and trembling and obedient, she ate that burning heart out of his hand. Weeping, I saw him then depart from me. Could he daily feel a stab of hunger for her? Find nourishment in the very sight of her? I think so. But would she see through the bars of his plight, and ache for him?_'" The words written by Dante Alighieri, when spoken in the deliciously rich, yearning tones of Hopkins, somehow brought Shuichi to the forefront of her mind. She pictured those green eyes, vivid and penetrating, their hue among that of her favorite color, and found herself eager to see them again.

Sunday couldn't come along fast enough.

. . .

Following the conclusion of his classes for the day, Shuichi had left the campus of Chishiki No Eda and headed for the train station. The poor weather had lessened considerably, but little sun made its way through the thick cover of the overcast sky. As he awaited the arrival of the orange line, he glanced curiously throughout the vestibule, searching idly for that telltale glint of copper hair and found nothing. Admittedly, he felt disappointment at Davina's absence, despite knowing that the odds of seeing her there again were slim.

He made his way back home, nearly being run over by Kokoda the moment he set foot in the door. The teenager was eager for his attention, and as promised, Shuichi settled in to spend time with him. After several hours of playing video games, he requested a short break so that he could prepare dinner—his mother was working a late shift, a prior text message had forewarned, and his stepfather was stuck over at the café, working for the evening after the person scheduled had abruptly called off. Kokoda had informed him of this shortly after his arrival, and Shuichi had been prepared to contact Kazuya and ask him if he was needed, but his step brother had balked at the idea, prompting Shuichi to forego the question.

He headed into the kitchen and began to pull the items he needed from the fridge and pantry. Before he immersed himself in cooking, Shuichi reached for his phone and typed up a reply to Davina's previous message—he had intended on doing so once he returned home, but had forgotten due to Kokoda's zeal for them to spend some time together. He sent the message along and focused on the task at hand, preparing a meal of rice, teriyaki salmon, and steamed vegetables. He and Kokoda ate in comfortable silence, and then he began to clean the mess he had made, storing away the leftovers and washing the dishes while his step brother chatted his ear off about his excitement to begin a new school year and his displeasure at summer vacation ending. Shuichi listened with a less than attentive ear, responding only when necessary. In truth, his mind was elsewhere—if Davina agreed to meet up with him on Sunday, he wanted to take her somewhere nice. It certainly wasn't a date, but it couldn't hurt to make a good impression. He had a decent idea in mind—there was a little coffee house on the outskirts of Osaka, one only a few blocks from the university campus, where they had live music and a quaint garden area. He had been there several times, with Kanaka, and had enjoyed it well enough. It seemed like a fitting location for what he had in mind.

When he got the opportunity to check his phone, he was disappointed that he hadn't received a reply to his inquiry—it had been nearly an hour since he had sent it. Perhaps he was mistaken, and Davina wasn't keen on seeing him outside of a school setting—she could have very well just requested his company in an effort to be polite. However, that didn't seem like her to just pitch the idea only to abandon it. Perhaps she was busy—it was a Friday evening, after all. But he knew from her personal explanation that she had yet to really make any friends, and that the odds that she was out and about were rather slim. Maybe she had met someone else at school—the sudden thoughts of another person holding her attention caused an involuntary growl to emit from his throat. The sound, while unanticipated, was loud enough to catch Kokoda's attention, who immediately paused in his mostly one sided conversation to inquire if Shuichi was okay.

"Of course, just clearing my throat," he lied, knowing his explanation would satisfy his younger sibling. As expected, Kokoha accepted his reply and continued on with his gossip.

Shuichi shook the thoughts of Davina being entertained by another from his mind—the feelings that accompanied the notion were alarming to him, to say the least. Possession over women had never really been a trait of his, even during the peak of his demon self—for him, up until the establishment of his human family, material objects had always the source of his obsession, his driving force as a thief. How often he had reveled in the obtaining of beautiful jewels and priceless artifacts, surrounding himself in tangible items that gifted him with a sense of purpose and superiority. Not once in his long years had a female ever brought upon a possessive streak or inspired such burning feelings of envy. Not women, never women. Women were expendable, an entertaining means to a very satisfying end. He had shared his bed with countless numbers of them over the course of his life, and had hardly ever paid any of them so much as a second though.

He had altered those manners to an extent once he had decided to openly embrace his life as a human, but the base notion remained unchanged. To realize that he experienced such a sensation of wanting over a female he hardly knew was utterly foreign to him—perhaps it would be a good thing if she had decided against their impending meeting. Shuichi believed that these feelings, if permitted, would only worsen if given the opportunity, and he wasn't sure if such a thing would be a force in his favor.

With his good mood now in dire straits, he returned to Kokoda's room with his sibling at the lead, to continue the game they had abandoned in favor of eating. But his sudden irritation led to poor performance, and after an extremely frustrating hour of making little headway on the current level, he opted to take his leave, telling Kokoda that he was tired and ready to head off to bed. The teenager didn't protest, content with the fact that Shuichi had managed to get him far past the boss that had been giving him difficulty—he eager took a hold of the controller as Shuichi offered it to him and claimed the chair previously occupied by his older brother, his attention devoured by the screen. With a deep sigh, Shuichi left his step brother's room, heading into the bathroom to shower.

Refreshed, he returned to his room, clad in a damp towel, his long red hair still moist with water. He was in the midst of slipping into some comfortable sweats when the subtle vibration of his phone caught his attention. Much to his pleasure, Davina had finally responded to his previous message. After a short play of back and forth, plans were established for Sunday afternoon—this agreement brought a sense of relief to Shuichi, but only just. Concerned thoughts of where such a path could eventually lead still nagged at him, but he shrugged them away. Best to cross that bridge if and when things arrived at that point. For what it was worth, he was genuinely excited for Sunday to come around—it would certainly be nice to see and converse with Davina in a casual setting. He was curious to learn more about her.

Suddenly aware of how tired he truly was, Shuichi turned off his light and slipped into the soft plush of his bed—the sheets were chilly from the circulated air of the room, but would warm quickly enough from the heat that radiated forth from his body. He closed his eyes, intending on finding sleep, and found that, despite his exhaustion, his mind would not cease its internal dialogue.

[[[WARNING: MATURE THEMES OF A SEXUAL NATURE AHEAD]]]

His thoughts trailed back to the minute contact between himself and Davina on the train that morning—the touch had been so brief, it was nearly incomprehensible, but the softness of her body against the firmness of his own had been unmistakably real. He pictured her ample curves, recalling with hunger the way they had pushed into him, and the delightful way he had appeared to melt into her with the force of the collision. The mental image sent a sudden rush of heat to flood his lower extremities, and much to his surprise and mild disdain, that part of his body that had remained untouched for a good while began to swell and grow hard. He attempted to stave off the feeling, but it remained, inspired by the lustful notions he was entertaining.

When it came to the female form, Shuichi appreciated it in its entirety, but harbored a deep fondness for a thick posterior—it was lovely to look at, satisfying to grab, and delightfully fun to spank. To watch pale flesh grow red and heated from the force of his hand meeting flesh had been one of his favorite pastimes as Yoko, and he missed this particular pleasure greatly. None of his previous partners during the expanse of his human love life had been willing to permit his indulgence, finding the concept off-putting or even rude. Davina had an ass that any man would be more than happy to handle, and the mere thought had his hands itching with want.

He imagined this exchange, his mind painting a painfully vivid picture of her willingly submitting to his wants, bending over on a bed and offering to his elated gaze her ample backside. He could nearly feel the warmth and softness of her flesh as he rubbed it with his calloused palms, before swiftly delivering a hearty slap to the swell of her ass. The thought of the sensation it would inspire had him gasping softly, imagining the echo of that delectable sound as it reverberated across the expanse of the room, accompanied by her startled, yet heated yelp. He imagined what she would sound like, her cry lancing through him like fire and further stirring his cock to insistent life, the limb now straining hard against the cloth confines of his sweats. He could picture the flush of her pale skin from where he struck her, the crimson mark unfurling like a hesitant flower hungry for sunlight. In his fantasy, he spanked her again, the shrill sound emitting from her lips hungry with desperation for more of his lustful violence.

Unable to deny his own arousal any longer, Shuichi shrugged out of his pants and reached down to grasp his cock, gasping at the contact. He could feel the wetness as it gathered at the very tip of his length, and used the palm of his hand to spread it over his harden flesh as a means of lubrication. He stroked himself firmly from tip to heel, feeling pinpricks of elation wash over him in light of his lecherous actions. His mind continued the fantasy, picturing Davina's squirming form as he continued his ministrations, imagining the secret place hidden between the valley of those luscious thighs growing wet with need. Shuichi stroked himself harder at the thought, now panting with the effort. It didn't take long for him to near the peak of his climax, his caresses growing more and more rapid as he danced closer and closer to the edge.

After what seemed like a small eternity but was in fact only a few short minutes, he exploded, gasping out loud as a hard shudder gripped his entire body. He managed to cast off his comforter prior to his eruption, hot pearlescent essence springing forth to cover the apex of his lower extremities and his hand as stars exploded behind his eyes. He laid there, his mind in shambles, his breathing coming in short, erratic bursts as his heartbeat echoed loudly within his ears. Satisfaction flooded him, his form tingling with pleasure as he rode out the remainder of his orgasm. It took him a few minutes to regain his faculties, and once he did, he immediately sought out the towel that remained from his shower to clean himself up. He redressed, and snuck into the bathroom to wash his hands, burying the soiled towel deep in the dirty hamper.

[[[END OF MATURE CONTENT]]]

After grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen, Shuichi returned to his bedroom, feeling somewhat relieved. He wasn't one to usually pleasure himself, since he typically had access to a willing partner, but the carnal act had satiated him, at least, for the moment. He crawled back into bed, now heavy with fatigue, and within minutes, was sound asleep, his mind finally falling blissfully silent as he fell into the comfort of oblivion.

*Author's Note: Seeing as I'm officially ahead now (pumped out two chapters in two days, a personal record—and I've already started working on further chapters. I guess my creative muse is being kind to me for the moment), I decided to go ahead and post this one earlier than anticipated. I suppose I should have given fair warning that this story will feature a slow burn type of relationship, but trust me when I say that it will be worth the wait. I have many ideas for this story, but most are quite malleable and could alter, given the direction the story itself decides to take me in. A thank you goes out to my newest followers, Dancing on Clouds of Sorrow and Naiyuki. As always, any feedback is much appreciated, and much love to all of you wonderful readers.


	6. Chapter 6 - The Demands of Fate

After the conclusion of _Hannibal_, Davina found herself to be feeling considerably better. The realization came as a true relief—it was nearly midnight now, and she had begun to feel quite tired. The urge to call her mother and ask her horde of questions still lingered, but despite the fact that it was now well into the morning hours over in her home state, Davina still hesitated. She knew for certain that her mother would now be awake, drinking a cup of black coffee and scowling over the day's newspaper as she prepared to head into work for her Friday, but odds are that a phone call of such an strange nature would hardly be welcomed.

Overall, Mitsuyo was a decent mother—Davina and her older brothers had always been well taken care of, with all of their base needs being met. But she was not a particularly loving person, and lacked patience when it came to emotional matters—she had always been this way, keeping everyone, including her own children, at arm's length. Their father, Jason, was nearly her complete opposite—he was warm and affectionate, easy to talk to and far more open minded than his wife. While growing up, there had been no contest over who her favorite parent was, and both of her brothers echoed that sentiment.

Davina often found herself wondering just how the unlikely pair had managed to have a successful marriage for the better part of thirty something years. She knew it had a great deal to do with her mother typically having all the control in the relationship—her father was somewhat of a push-over, who would protest from time to time but eventually submit to her will. Whenever Davina had needed to talk to someone, she had always gone to her father—the handful of times she had attempted such a thing with her mother, she had always been coldly dismissed and warned that she was failing to be self sufficient. It was because of this Davina was absolutely dreading the thought of reaching out to her—and it _had_ to be her, given that she was the one with the pendant in question. Odds were that her father would know next to nothing concerning it, if he even recalled her owning such a necklace to begin with.

She reached for her phone, once again making it as far in the process as having her mother's number pulled up and her finger hovering over the call button before she lost her will to follow through with her task.

"Fuck it," she said aloud to her empty bedroom, finding the use of the vehement word therapeutic as she ultimately decided to abandon her efforts for the time being. Best to let it settle and hopefully, with enough time, push it out of her mind. The interaction with the alien-like creature would never be truly forgotten, but she could try to bury it as deep and as best she could and hope to high hell that such a meeting would never occur again. Perhaps the creature had mistaken her for a different person, and her mother owning a similar trinket to the one she had been gifted was a simple coincidence—it certainly was hard to believe, but it was a possibility…or so Davina lied to herself. Whatever the case was, the likelihood of her getting legitimate answers to her many inquires was exceedingly slim, so there was little point in harboring them. Despite the sound logic, the notion frustrated her immensely. But in the end, she decided to do her best to ignore the demanding of her brain to seek further information. She didn't want to become consumed by her concerns, lest they cause a cavalcade of issues.

Davina continued on with her viewing, beginning the movie _Red Dragon_ as she settled back into the odd little nest she had created among her pillows and collection of throw blankets. Eventually, she fell victim to her fatigue, giving into the beckoning lull of sleep, the haunting instrumental music of the third cinematic chapter released of the Hannibal Lecter series her lullaby.

. . .

It was just before noon when Davina awoke Saturday—she had come to with a slow start, making her way to the bathroom to wash her face before realizing what time it was. Internally, she cursed herself for sleeping in so late, but knew the rest had been well warranted. She felt better now that time had placed some distance between her and the occurrences of the day prior, her mind having calmed itself after her lengthy slumber. After ingesting some caffeine, she got to work on her tasks for the day, finishing up the remaining chores around the apartment, which thankfully wasn't much. Afterwards, she quickly showered, changed, and ventured over to the market to do her grocery shopping.

Just after leaving her complex and en-route to the store, Davina thought she noticed a familiar face while making her way passed a row of suburban homes that sat farther down on her same block, but on the opposing side of where she was walking. Upon closer inspection, she realized that she was correct—it was Kazuya that she saw, the owner of the Koeda Café—he was outside, in the middle of watering his lawn and the small but beautiful flower garden that encompassed the front of the tall white house. As she drew closer, he took notice of her, sending a quick wave of hello her way and smiling kindly—Davina returned his friendly gesture before continuing on her way. She had assumed that he lived somewhere in town, but hadn't realized just how close—they were practically neighbors.

Sneaking a casual glance at his home, she found herself admiring the pristinely kept premises from afar. She eyed the flower beds with appreciation, spotting several that she recognized—among them were blossoms of rich lavender, vivid orange yellow marigolds, and several tall bushes of bright red roses in glorious full bloom. It struck her as a bit odd to see the temperamental plants in such a flourishing state—if she recalled correctly, roses typically flourished between the months of May and June for the spring, and then briefly during the later part of September. It was shortly into the summer month of August, and yet these roses appeared to be untouched by the change in nature. While strange, Davina didn't spare the notion a second thought, opting simply to enjoy the colorful sight as she ambled her way onward.

It was nearing four when she returned home, several large bags clasped in her arms. She unloaded her items and stored them in their proper places, all the while contemplating what to do with the remainder of her day.

Eventually, she decided to turn on some music and lose herself in some reading—eying her brimming bookcase, Davina glanced from title to title until one in particular caught her attention—_The Vampire Memoirs_, a fantasy novel by Tracy Briery. It had been almost four years since she last read it—from what she could remember, she had rather enjoyed the heartbreaking story that surrounded the centuries old main character. Carefully, she withdrew the book from its place, its cover fairly dog-eared and pages yellowed—it had been a thrift-store find, one she had purchased on a whim for less than a dollar. It seemed good a choice as any, so she placed it atop the small coffee table that sat in front of her couch in the tiny living room of her apartment before slipping into the kitchen to prepare herself a fresh cup of black tea.

Upon her return, Davina placed her steaming mug on the table and cued up an instrumental playlist from the music library on her phone before sprawling out across her couch. Once she was comfortably situated, complete with a downy purple throw blanket covering her legs, she hit play on the first song of the compendium and reached for the novel. The strange, yet oddly comforting aroma of the aged pages wafted up to kiss her nose just as the dulcet tones of composer Gustav Holst's_ Neptune_ began to emit from the tiny but powerful speakers of her phone. The eloquently peaceful melodies of the collaboration of wind instruments echoed throughout the entire room, with the subtle addition of delicate harp and chiming tubular bells as the song progressed. It was one of her favorite songs of _The Planets_ orchestral suite, a saga that she had been introduced to as a child by her mother. The soft playing of the classical music inspired a deep tranquility within her, and soon, she was lost within the pages of her current read.

After consuming nearly half of the book, Davina paused in her efforts to relieve herself of the tea she had drank, the remainder of Ludovico Einaudi's _Nuvole Bianche _performed on the piano falling faint as she left the living room to venture into the bathroom. She reappeared just as Leonard Cohen's _Hallelujah_ began to play, another piano instrumental that she adored—that same song had been one of her absolute favorites to play on the old upright piano back in her childhood home. While her mother had insisted on many constructive activities for her while growing up, learning the art of the piano and how to read music were among the few things that Davina was truly grateful for.

Much like art, making music was both creative and therapeutic, yet another thing she found herself longing for. But unlike the supplies she needed for sketching, her tiny apartment simply did not have the space to accommodate a piano—a small keyboard would even prove to be too much for the minimal room available. It was a sad fact of reality—all she could do was find enjoyment in listening to the music instead of performing it herself. She knew the university had a music hall on its premises, but the odds were that she would have to have some type of special permission to access it and utilize their equipment, and that in itself was enough to deter her from pursuing the request. Not that she even knew who to ask for such a thing.

Instead of reclaiming her place within her novel, Davina perched back on the couch, closed her eyes, and silently absorbed the melody, her fingers dancing in midair as if suspended over an invisible piano, hitting the imaginary keys in the corresponding tones with her nimble appendages. When the song finally concluded, the room fell silent—she surmised that she had reached the end of her playlist, so she snatched up her phone, intent on locating another one. A notification alerting her to an unread message awaited her, and she smiled upon realizing that the correspondence hailed from none other than Shuichi.

It was a short message, simply asking her if they were still on for their meeting the following afternoon. It had come through less than ten minutes prior—she responded positively, reminding him that she was looking forward to their rendezvous and would meet him at the train station at two. It wasn't until just after she had sent off her reply that she realized she should be proactive and select something to wear for their outing, if only to avoid scrambling to prepare just before.

With a sudden influx of energy, Davina headed towards her bedroom, actively rooting around in her closet, searching for something suitable. Since he was keeping their destination a secret, she wasn't entirely sure what to expect in terms of a venue. And there was the glaring fact that her wardrobe selection was less than impressive—she preferred comfort over anything flashy, so most of her wares consisted of jeans, leggings, and comfortable blouses. She hadn't brought a single skirt with her when she had moved, and the two dresses she had relocated with both seemed far too formal for a casual hang out.

Relief washed over her when her gaze fell upon the green sundress she had purchased just a week before—in truth, she had forgotten all about it, in light of her mind being pulled in a vast number of other directions over the course of the past seven days. She pulled the dress from its hanger and tried it on, curiously studying her reflection in the narrow full length mirror that hung from the door of her closet. After a brief consideration, she decided that it would be the best of all her available options—the garment fit her well, and revealed a solid amount of skin without appearing too overzealous. She had a pair of comfortable black flats that would pair well with it, and withdrew them from their home on her shoe rack just to make sure of her choices. Satisfied with the end result, Davina returned everything to its proper place before redressing in her current clothing, and returned to her living room.

Eagerly, she checked her phone, and was mildly disappointed to see that she hadn't received a response. It was just around eight thirty in the evening, so he very well could have been busy. Out of nowhere, her stomach growled, demanding sustenance, so Davina turned her attention to making some supper. After eating her fill, she settled in to watch the last movie in the _Hannibal_ series, _Hannibal Rising_. The French actor who portrayed a young Hannibal, Gaspard Ulliel, was painfully attractive, and his depiction of the character was deliciously devious. She recalled fondly watching the movie at the theatre when it had first come out with her best friend, Selina, several years prior. Both had readily agreed that they'd be more than happy to permit him to feast upon them, although not in a cannibalistic sense. Really, the man was blessed with a face that could make any woman swoon, even if he was representing a flesh eating murderer with a thirst for revenge.

Thinking about Selina suddenly made Davina feel gloomy—she missed her best friend terribly, even though they had shared a text conversation only a few days prior. But that means of communication was a poor substitute for their previous forms of interaction, which included spending countless hours in each other's company. The urge to message Selina bubbled within her, but Davina knew it was pointless—it was such an early morning hour back in the states, and her best friend, who was a night owl much like herself, would most definitely not be awake to respond. In truth, the realization made her feel even lonelier than she cared to admit.

Luckily, her attention was soon claimed by the movie, and Davina temporarily forgot her dismal outlook. That was until her phone vibrated, having received yet another message.

'_Very much looking forward to it myself. I'll see you tomorrow_.'

She read the message twice, somehow hearing the words as spoken by Shuichi himself, and found herself smiling.

Returning to her movie, Davina attempted to regain her focus on the film, but found her concentration waning, at best. Her mind kept bouncing to the impending events of the next day, accompanied by an eagerness to see him that she was hard pressed to ignore. But the enthusiasm was mixed with apprehension—it was just a friendly outing, and yet she felt as if she were some vapid princess in a hokey fairytale on the threshold of meeting her prince charming, or some other such childish nonsense.

Davina could hardly bear the anticipation, and hoped she'd be able to fall asleep, lest the expectancy of the future keep her mind from the rest she so desperately needed.

. . .

Shuichi was up just after the sun, already hard at work by the time the rest of his family roused from sleep. He had finished tidying both his bedroom and the bathroom he shared with Kokoda just as his mother began to make breakfast for everyone. While she cooked, he swept the foyer, living room, and hallways. By the time the food was ready to be consumed, he was ravenous. They ate in comfortable silence, thoroughly enjoying the meal and lounging about the dining room for a short while after in an effort to relax and digest. Afterwards, Shuichi tackled the kitchen—Shiori attempted to help him, but he shooed her away, insisting that he would finish it himself. She didn't argue with his assertion, instead opting to remove herself from the house and venture outside to tend the flower beds.

With a careful, glove clad hand, she pruned the stray growths and plucked away the few weeds that had emerged forth from the soil—the minute flower garden she kept was a true source of pride for her, and she strived to keep it vigilantly maintained. Whatever fertilizer Shuichi had used was just short of magical—her flowers were potently healthy, vibrant, and somehow hadn't wilted in the slightest despite the harsh rainfall and scorching summer temperatures. It pleased her when her son had shown an interest in helping her with her garden, and Shiori was truly appreciative for his help—despite having overcome the odds and surviving her severe illness several years back, she would still experience occasional bouts of weakness in her back, hands and feet. They were minor compared to the discomfort she had felt while sick, but there were times that they impeded her accomplishing things she wished to get done—luckily, Shuichi was always willing to assist her, and never once complained about doing so. She was truly fortunate to have such a wonderful child.

While his mother handled the flower beds, Shuichi finished cleaning up the last of the dishes that remained from breakfast. Kazuya had ventured outside to withdraw the lawn mower from its place in the small shed, intending on cutting the grass, which had grown considerably over the past day and a half thanks to the heavy rains. Kokoda returned to his room, the broom and dustpan in hand so that he could neaten his own space. It was nearly noon before all the chores were completed, but the Hatanaka-Minamino house was immaculately clean from top to bottom and inside and out, which made it well worth the effort it had taken to accomplish such a task.

Following a quick shower, Shuichi accompanied his mother to the market to help her with the shopping—they returned home just over an hour later and were greeted enthusiastically by Kazuya, who had returned outside to water the freshly mowed yard and flower beds. Kokoda helped them unload and store away the groceries before returning to the privacy of his bedroom, where the familiar sounds of his current videogame could be heard. Shuichi headed for his own room, intent on getting another page or two written for his organic chemistry paper—he had about two hours to spare before he had to prepare himself for work and wanted to use them productively. In the time allotted, he completed a total of three pages—pleased with himself, he ventured into the kitchen to fix himself a quick snack, and then returned to his bedroom to dress in his uniform for work—he would be running the operation on his own for the evening, as his mother and Kazuya had plans for a dinner date in the city later that evening.

As usual, Shuichi arrived at the café nearly fifteen minutes before his shift was scheduled to start. With it being a Saturday, the Koeda was more crowded than usual, and time passed by fairly quickly due to being busy. Just before eight, he treated himself to a short break since things had slowed down and a good chunk of the throng had dispersed. He took the opportunity to send a message over to Davina, reaffirming their plans for the next afternoon. She didn't respond for the duration of his break, so he returned to work, hoping he would have a reply waiting for him at the conclusion of his shift. The last hour and a half of his work flew by, and much to his relief, the text he had eagerly anticipated was awaiting his perusal. He typed out a quick response, reiterating how enthusiastic he was and that he would see her on the morrow.

During his walk home, Shuichi couldn't seem to shake the smile that insistently perched across his façade. He hoped that Davina would enjoy the venue he had picked for their rendezvous—he found the keenness for their meeting to be almost irritating in nature. It wasn't even a date, nor really a romantic venture at all, and yet he felt like a nervous school boy on the verge of asking his crush to a dance. It was such an alien feeling, one he couldn't recall ever entertaining before, not even in his youth, when he was inexperienced and uncertain.

He hoped that, by getting to know her better, the bizarre feelings that had been plaguing him would lessen or in the very least, be placated to some extent. He wanted to understand just how she was able to instill such peculiar sensations within him, seemingly with no effort at all. If Shuichi was being entirely honest with himself, the notion of being fated to be with her had crossed his mind, but only in the pithiest capacity—he was quite familiar with the concept of life mates, but had never placed much stock in such thing. Love wasn't something that happened on a whim—it took years to build, to fashion with sweat, blood, tears, words, and actions. To accept the idea that his destiny was little more than a predetermined match made by an unseen force was a conception he was not agreeable to—ultimately, it would mean that he had little say in what he was designed for, and the thought of having that freedom to chose stolen from him both enraged and terrified him. He had never taken to conformity well, and had no intention of ever doing so.

Time would tell, as it did with all things. Time was a construct that served no master, and harbored no lies—it never falsified information, or told half truths. It was blunt and honest, and often cruel in its revelations.

Perhaps Shuichi was getting ahead of himself—he knew from previous experiences that he had a tendency to over think things, on occasion. So he forced those thoughts aside, not wanting to ruin what had the potential to be a positive experience, not only for him as an individual, but for his existence as a whole.

'_One day at a time_,' he mentally counseled himself, knowing that he would have to play his hand carefully, if only to avoid losing himself within the game.

'_Take it one day at a time_…'

Not too long later, Shuichi surrendered to sleep, the sentiment still echoing within his mind like a protective mantra, bathed in a dichotomy of caution and hope.

. . .

Sunday morning arrived quicker than anticipated—Shuichi felt almost as if he had merely blinked his eyes, only to be roused by the shrill wine of his alarm. Typically, he awoke feeling well rested and ready to seize his day, but this morning, he felt almost sluggish, hesitantly climbing out of bed and meandering his way into the bathroom to tend to his needs and wash the sleep from his face. He cleaned himself up and dressed in a pair of gray slacks and a dark green button down collared shirt with elbow length sleeves, liberally applying his deodorant and spritzing himself with cologne. His mother was awaiting his arrival down in the kitchen, dressed in a flowy blue dress and comfortable white sandals, smiling at him approvingly as he entered.

It was a custom of sorts for Shuichi to share brunch with his mother every Sunday morning, unless work or other obligations had to be attended to—they had been doing so for several years, and he knew that it was something Shiori looked forward to. Sometimes they cooked and ate together in the comfort of home, and others they ventured out to one of several restaurant options. Today, they were headed to the Akatsuru, a quaint bistro on the edge of Kaiden's downtown district that was only open until the early afternoon and had an expansive breakfast menu. The venue hosted a wrap around covered patio area that overlooked the Shinzokawa, the river that separated the city from the surrounding prefectures.

They made their way over to the restaurant in comfortable silence and were escorted to an outside table with a charming view of the river upon their arrival. After a brief interlude, the pair decided on their selections and placed their food orders, making small talk over cups of coffee while they waited.

"So, any plans for later today?" Shiori asked curiously, amidst their conversation about school, work, and familial obligations.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Shuichi offered with a mild smile. "I'm meeting an acquaintance this afternoon for coffee—she's new to the city and attends my university." He kept his tone casual, and the surrounding details vague.

"Oh?" his mother replied, her interest having increased exponentially at his little tidbit. "Well, that sounds wonderful. What's her name?"

"Davina," he responded, fairly inquisitive to his mother's reaction. She had, of course, met most of his girlfriends over the years he had been dating, so her interest wasn't out of the ordinary. "Davina MacKenna—she's American. From what I understand, her mother is a native of Osaka. She's intending to become an electrical engineer."

"Isn't that lovely? So where are you taking her for your date?"

His mother's use of the word 'date' made Shuichi blanch, but only for a second.

"It's not a date, mother. Just a friendly outing."

"So, you aren't interested in her, then?"

"I hardly even know her—I can't rightfully say if I'm interested in her, at least not yet," he explained, suddenly feeling foolish. Even to his own ears, his words sounded dishonest. Shuichi didn't understand his impulse to not admit the whole truth of the situation to his mother, with whom he was typically an open book, only omitting the truths he knew she could never be made privy to for the sake of her own sanity and protection.

His mother met and held his gaze, her dark brown eyes digging firmly into his own. It was as if she could sense his insincerity, but in true Shiori fashion, she overlooked the slight and opted instead to be encouraging.

"Well, I'm sure it will be a wonderful time," she offered, smiling slightly over at him as she softly patted the top of his hand with her own. Feeling almost guilty, Shuichi opened his mouth to say something further, only to be interrupted by the presence of their waiter approaching, bearing a tray carrying their meals. He maintained his silence, smiling over at his mother instead of continuing on a conversation. They ate slowly, savoring their delicious food, and by the time their plates were clean, the mood had mellowed some. The walk home proved longer than the walk to had been, more leisurely as to not upset their full bellies. Upon their return home, Shuichi noticed that one of the rose bushes was looking a little worse for wear—he paused outside on the porch as his mother unlocked the door, intent on fixing it.

"You head on inside, mother," he said gently. "It appears that Kazuya may not have watered the flowers properly before he headed to work this morning, so I'd like to tend to them for a moment. I'll be in shortly."

"Alright. Thank you for a lovely brunch, Shuichi," Shiori replied, fixing him with a warm smile before disappearing into the house and slowly closing the front door behind her.

Once absolutely certain that he was alone, Shuichi approached the flower bed, kneeling down in front of the tall bushel. Focusing his attention, he summoned a minuscule amount of his youkai, pushing into the very tip of the index finger of his left hand, and slipped the digit into the soil at the base of the plant. His appendage met the wiry root of the rose bush, and he pressed the pad of fingertip firmly against the rigid vein, releasing the hold on his power and injecting it into the plant. Almost as if by magic, the roses regained their previous glow of health, looking far more vibrant and full even before he had managed to rise to his feet. Satisfied with his efforts, Shuichi dusted the dirt from his hand, and headed over to the side of the house to grab the hose. He doused the small garden in a liberal spray of cool water, and then returned the tool to its place before heading inside.

He eyed the clock as he washed his hands at the kitchen sink, realizing that it was just about noon. He could feel his mother's presence lingering within the confines of her room, so he decided to venture into his own for a while, in hopes of mentally preparing himself for his impending rendezvous with Davina. When one thirty crawled around, he refreshed up and headed for the door, wishing his mother a fond goodbye before leaving to make the short walk over to the train station. While he felt as if his preparations were indeed adequate, he still felt somewhat anxious, but his tension paled in comparison to the anticipation he was entertaining.

Shuichi made it to his destination a solid twenty minutes prior to their arranged time, and selected a seat to perch in, keeping a watchful eye out for that familiar glint of copper as he casually surveyed the depo's entrance. It was five of when the beacon he had been actively seeking finally appeared, and he smiled as she glanced curiously around the perimeter, eventually locking eyes with him and mirroring his façade. He felt his breath catch in his throat as she ambled closer, the sight of her clad in that figure hugging sundress causing something deep within him to howl with desire.

The calm he had been feeling vanished swiftly, replaced with ravenous carnal hunger. He may have had a smile on his face, but a war was raging just beneath the surface. He was overcome with the urge to go to her, but refused, remaining in his seat as she approached him. Shuichi could feel the weight of curious glances being thrown her way as she walked, and fought the urge to growl—how _dare_ they look at what was _his_.

'_Mine_,' his mind shouted in an alien voice, sounding almost crazed. '_Mine, mine, mine…_'

_'__Fuck.'_

Not a word he used often or lightly, but painfully appropriate for the current situation.

This was going to be an interesting afternoon.

*Author's Note: Thank you to my newest followers, Zinthree, Why 4 What, and Wynterfox89. Sorry for the delay, there have been a lot of not so great things occurring in my personal life that have kept me from updating sooner, and have robbed me of a great deal of my drive. I do have the next chapter started, but depending on circumstances, it might be a while before it is completed. As always, any feedback is welcomed. Thanks, everyone!


	7. Chapter 7 - The Throes of Uncertainty

It was just after eight in the morning when Davina roused from sleep—it wasn't a willing endeavor, with her being provoked by a phone call instead of coming to of her own accord. She had fallen asleep just before the conclusion of _Hannibal Rising_, with her phone sitting in close proximity to her hand. It was the force of the force of the echoing vibrations that interrupted her slumber, and barely cracking open an eye, she snatched up the device and pressed the accept button, failing to check the name of whom the call hailed from.

"H-hello?" Davina asked groggily, she tone still heavy with fatigue and her throat scratchy due to being thirsty.

"Hey Davi, its dad!" her father's cheerful inflection rang forth from the receiver, immediately catching her attention. She rolled into a sitting position, using her free hand to wipe the evidence of sleep from her eyes.

"Hey, dad," she replied, in the midst of trying to fight off an involuntary yawn.

"Oh shit, did I screw up again and call you too late? Or is it early?" Jason asked, sounding apologetic. "I'm sorry, kid. I keep forgetting about the time change."

"Its fine, dad," she reassured him, not particularly pleased about being woken up at such an early hour on her Sunday, but happy to hear his voice. "I'm glad you called, I've been meaning to, but with my course load and the difference in time, I haven't really had a chance to."

"I understand, you're a busy college student now," he offered with a soft chuckle, and Davina could picture his endearing, lopsided grin, which made her realize again just how much she missed him.

When it came to the MacKenna family, there was no mistaking which parents genetics were dominate—Mitsuyo and Jason were as different as night and day, not only in personality, but appearance as well. Her mother was a demure woman, reaching no taller than five feet and two inches, and petite with ebony hair and porcelain skin. Her single unique trait was her startling gray green eyes, which were a distinct Ishihara feature; Davina had inherited them from her, along with her pale complexion and minute stature. She was the only child in their brood to have a plethora of freckles, which she had openly disliked growing up but had come to grudgingly accept as she aged.

Jason, on the other hand, stood tall at a height of six foot two inches, and was built like a linebacker, stout and strong. Their copper colored hair was the same, but Jason had clear blue eyes, a color that Davina had envied as a child and desired for herself. He was also fair skinned, but somehow, did not burn easily when exposed to the sun, in spite of his Irish genetics. Her two older brothers, Murphy and Jackson, had their father's same eyes and were built much like him, although lacking some of his substantial height. Both MacKenna boys had inherited some strange collaboration of their parents' hair colors, resulting in a dark, brownish auburn. Davina's hair was mildly wavy and considerably thick, the same as her father's, where as her siblings had gotten her mother's fine, nearly pin straight texture.

Apart from the obvious differences in appearances, all three of the MacKenna children shared more of their father's personality over that of their mother, and for that, Davina was grateful. Not that she would ever openly admit it to anyone, but there was a very real fear of ending up just as stern and cold as her mother buried deep within her psyche, and she despised the though in its entirety. She loved her mother, she truly did, but she had never really liked her—it was a sad reality, but an honest one.

"That's true, and yes, it certainly is a busy schedule," Davina admitted with a smile. "But overall, I'm starting to like it here. Kaiden is pleasant, and I'm enjoying my university well enough."

"Made any new friends yet?"

A loaded subject and not one Davina was sure of how to respond to, so she gave a vague answer.

"A few so far—I'm actually meeting someone for coffee later today."

"A guy?" The curiosity in her father's voice was glaringly obvious, despite his causal tone.

"Yes. His name is Shuichi. He seems nice."

"You like him, then?"

Suddenly, she felt hot and cold all at once, put on the spot by a question she wasn't prepared to answer.

"I…uh…well, I don't really know him that well yet," Davina sputtered, hating how timid she sounded. "Hence why we're meeting up. It's not a date, just a hang out."

"That's good," her father replied brightly, and she could hear the trace of a smile in his voice. "Hopefully, it works out. You haven't dated anyone in a long time, this could be good for you."

"Erm, yeah," she responded hesitantly almost desperate to change the subject before things could become any more awkward. Davina had always had a pretty open relationship with her father, and he had always done his best to give her real advice and not judge or sugarcoat anything. She had only had two serious boyfriends in her lifetime, the first being when she was fourteen and the last when she was sixteen. Both had been lengthy relationships of a year or longer; the first had ended amicably, but the second had been a literal shit-show. She had put an end to things with Marcus after she discovered proof that he was cheating, and although she didn't regret her decision, she had truly been heartbroken. She had lost her virginity to him, and loved him dearly, but she knew she didn't deserve to be treated like crap and hadn't been willing to overlook his distasteful actions. Her father had been her rock through the bad break-up, letting her vent when she needed to and comforting her when she was sad. She hadn't even attempted to talk to her mother about things, knowing that she would only be met with scolding and told to grow a back bone and get over it. "So, how is everyone? Anything new over there?"

"Everyone is doing fine. Your mother just got another promotion at work, so she's overseeing two districts now—she's been stuck at work a lot ever since you left for Japan. Murphy is planning on proposing to Jackie in a few weeks. I think it's because she's pregnant, but they haven't admitted it to anyone and I can't exactly ask, so there's that…Jax got offered a new job over in Boston, but he hasn't accepted it yet. Not sure if he's going to—I don't think Michael wants to move, but we'll have to wait and see."

Hearing the collective summary of her family's on goings made her sigh—she really did miss everyone, even her mother, to an extent.

"Well, Murph and Jackie have been dating for an eternity, so it's about time they got hitched—and if they are having a baby, then I'm excited to be an aunt. I can't imagine Jax moving out of the state—Mike would complain the entire time," she offered with a smirk, picturing her older brother's lover having one of his infamous dramatic meltdowns while trying to pack his life into boxes. "I'm glad mom got her promotion—I know she's been after it for a long while."

"That's true. She didn't seem too happy when she got the news, but hey, that's your mother. She's actually home right now, if you wanted to talk to her. I know she'd love to hear from you."

At his mention of her mother, all of Davina's questions that she had fought to push out of her mind came flooding back with urgency. Despite this, it was a can of worms she did not possess the energy to handle in that moment. She hadn't even consumed any caffeine yet.

"Right now is not a great time," she said quietly. "But I'll call later to talk to her…I have errands to run and need to get them done before I meet my friend." She knew it was a lie and that her father would easily pick up on her deception, but also that he wouldn't push.

"No worries, kiddo. I'm glad things are going good over there. We miss the hell out of you."

"I miss you guys, too. Love you, dad."

"Love you, too, Davi. I'll talk to you later. Take care of yourself, honey."

"You too."

"Bye, kid."

The call disconnected then, and Davina sighed as she tossed her phone away from her. Despite the early hour, she was glad to have heard from her father. Knowing she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, Davina rolled out of bed and meandered her way over to the kitchen to fix herself a much needed cup of coffee. That first sip of hot caffeine was like heaven, and by the time she had finished her mug, she was feeling almost human. It was nearing nine—she figured she'd shower and begin getting ready for her rendezvous with Shuichi around noon, wanting to allow herself plenty of time to prepare herself.

The remainder of her morning was spent doing laundry and working on her research paper—she was able to get a good chunk of it done, which pleased her. It was just about twelve when she headed into the bathroom and took a delightfully long, hot shower. With her wet hair bound up in a tightly knotted towel, she grabbed up her small cosmetics bag and went to work on her face—she never really bothered with much makeup, preferring the 'less is more' approach, but today, she decided to put a little more effort into her appearance.

After patting her face completely dry and applying a dab of moisturizer, she powdered her eyelids with soft ivory mica, the pale eye-shadow giving them a lovely shimmer. Davina then added a hint of faint gray liner to her lower lash line before carefully brushing on her black mascara—the additional accents she utilized made the gray green hue of her eyes appear even bolder than usual. Content with her face, she returned her cosmetics to their container and freed her hair from its towel. After applying a few generous drops of argan oil, she combed her lengthy locks, their color darker than usual due to the moisture that still clung to them.

Leaving her hair to dry of its own accord, Davina turned her attention to getting dressed as she ventured back into her bedroom—she slipped into her undergarments, a matching set of dove gray bikini cut panties and a strapless bra, and then pulled her new dress down over her head. The jade green material, peppered with a print of white flora, was a flat polyester fabric that felt quite similar to silk, soft and delicate against her skin. It fit her loosely, but clung in all the right places, offering a decent view of her collarbones and exposing the perfect amount of cleavage. Its thin sleeves were tied in knots upon the curves of her bared shoulders, with excess fabric hanging down alongside them. The empire waistline of the garment flattered her demure figure, making her bosom look more considerable than it truly was, and the delicate ruffled hemline dusted the very tops of her knees.

Davina studied her reflection as offered in the full length mirror that hung from the back of her closet door, smiling to herself with approval. The color of the dress complimented her auburn hair, and made the greens of her eyes appear even more prominent. She found herself wondering what Shuichi would think of her in it.

For the next hour, she toiled around her apartment, changing her laundry over and reading a handful of chapters from her current book. It was just after one when she put the finishing touches on her get up—she slipped her feet into her black flats, applied her deodorant, and then liberally sprayed herself down with her favorite perfume, making sure to hit the hollow of her throat and the undersides of her wrists. She considered changing the duo of silver stud earrings she was wearing, but opted not to—instead, she dug around in her tiny jewelry box and located a small sterling silver necklace that bore a dangling pendant in the shape of a small leaf and clasped it about her neck. The last thing she had to do before she was ready for her afternoon was ready her bag—she traded her usual one for a small black purse with a long shoulder strap, large enough to snugly fit her wallet, phone, house key, and chap-stick.

It was a quarter to two when Davina finally left her apartment—despite her excitement, she was awash with a flood of fresh apprehension, desperately wanting the afternoon to go well but not truly certain of what to expect. It was a delightfully balmy day, with the sun hesitantly peaking through the spotty breaks in the thick cloud cover that hung overhead. A welcoming breeze billowed past her as she rounded the first block, ruffling her lengthy copper hair in a manner that was strangely comforting. Her internal concerns nagged at her relentlessly, and while she did her best to push them out of mind, they lingered like a foul smell for the duration of her walk over to the train station.

'_What if he stands you up? What if it goes badly? What if—'_

"Shut up, brain," she hissed vehemently beneath her breath as she slipped through the entrance of the depo, her gaze searching the crowd for her intended companion. She audibly sighed in relief when spotted him amongst the throng, sitting in a seat near the ticket counter. Their stares met and held, and Davina returned the small smile he sent her way, trying desperately to quell the anxious churning of her stomach.

'_Well, at least he showed up…_'

Davina approached him slowly, maintaining their visual connection as she did so. But something within her as startled by the sudden darkening of his eyes as she grew nearer—the smile he wore on his visage was inviting, but it did not match the abrupt storm that had hastily consumed those piercing green depths. For a brief second, Davina could have sworn that she witnessed a strange golden flash strike behind the depths of Shuichi's pupils, altering the hue of his eyes if only for a single second, but immediately shrugged off the idea—it must have been an odd reflection caused by the overhead lights, or just a simple figment of her overactive imagination.

Shuichi remained perched in his chair until only a distance of a few feet lingered between them, and then rose to his feet just as she paused her stride and stood before him.

"Hey," she offered softly, just as the fragrant aroma of his cologne met her nostrils—he smelled of sandalwood and patchouli, deep, earthy, and utterly masculine. She inhaled the woodsy scent deep into her lungs, appreciating it even as she experienced a bout of sudden weakness within her knees. The dark green of his shirt complimented his long crimson hair, and lent a sun-kissed hue to his complexion that she had failed to notice before.

"Hello," he responded in turn—there was an odd underlying tone to his voice, one that caused the fine hairs on the back of her neck to prickle, even though she couldn't quite place why. "Our train should be here shortly." His explanation was short, almost curt, and Davina found herself wondering if something was upsetting him. She thought it best not to inquire upon her curiosity, not wanting to worsen his feelings if that was truly the case.

"So, where are we heading off to?" she asked, thinking it best to focus on the future.

Shuichi appeared to consider her inquiry for a moment, as if he as deciding on revealing his plans or maintaining their secrecy.

"You'll find out soon enough," he replied, his voice still clipped, but followed his response with a short smile. Davina started to reply, only to be interrupted by the announcement that their train was pulling into the station. With Shuichi taking the lead, the pair headed over to the platform, and several minutes later, were seated on the tram, on their way into Osaka.

Unlike the mornings of school, the train was considerably empty, with plenty of available seats, and almost quiet, lacking the hustle and bustle of those heavier travel days. Davina sat off to Shuichi's right—he had claimed a chair nearest to the doors, and thus far, their ride was had in terse silence. Internally, she had begun considering that something was absolutely amiss, and that he had begun regretting his decision to meet up with her—the idea left a poor taste in her mouth, but she wasn't sure how to approach such a topic. Typically, she would just be blunt and ask, but it was the fondness that she was entertaining for him that kept her from such a method—he had seemed so enthusiastic about their meeting previously, but now he appeared as if he'd rather be anywhere else but in her company. The notion stung, more so than she had anticipated. After a few more minutes of tense quiet, Davina decided she had had enough of being considerate—if he didn't want to be here, he didn't have to be. If it was an out he was looking for, she give him one—there was no point in spending time with someone who didn't wish to be in her company.

"Shuichi?" she questioned, speaking in a stiff tone meant to catch his wandering attention. He glanced over at her, mildly startled at her sudden demand for his notice. "Is everything alright? You seem off today," she explained brazenly, bracing herself for his unfavorable reply. Maybe this venture had truly been a mistake.

"Of course," he responded, his eyes softening at her words. It was almost as if he could sense her growing discomfort. "My apologies, I suppose I do have a lot on my mind at the moment."

"We don't have to do this is, if you'd rather not," Davina offered, her words wrapped in a calm she did not feel. She prepared herself for his agreement that they should discontinue their efforts, trying not to let feelings of absolute disappointment overwhelm her.

"No, I very much want to," he retorted firmly, his admission mildly surprising her. "I wouldn't have come if I hadn't." A heavy sigh escaped him then, and he shook his head, as if to ward off the bad thoughts that plagued him. "I'm truly sorry if I gave you the notion that I felt otherwise."

"It's alright," she replied, her voice growing quiet as a sense of relief washed over her.

"I do hope you like the place we're heading to," he offered, fixing her with what appeared to be the first genuine smile he could muster since their afternoon together began. It helped to put her at ease, if only just a little.

"I guess we'll find out shortly, seeing as you insist on keeping it a surprise," Davina retorted lightly, her tone almost playful in nature. Shuichi opened his mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by the announcement of their arrival into the Osaka station echoing throughout the train cart. The vehicle came to a slow halt, and they disembarked from the train, stepping out onto the platform of the depo shortly afterwards. Once they had exited the station, Shuichi again took the lead—their walk was had in silence, although considerably less apprehensive than the previous bout.

They had just made their way past the university when Shuichi finally spoke up.

"Our destination is about three more blocks away," he announced, still maintaining his level of mystery. Davina, who had yet to really explore beyond the campus, nodded her head, her eager inquisitiveness nibbling at her subconscious. The streets they walked were reminiscent of Kaiden's downtown district, littered with small shops and eateries. It had quite a small town feel, even for being on the very outskirts of one of Japan's largest cities.

Their venture came to a pause as they approached a corner lot, one that seemed almost out of place beside the neat, uniform row of businesses that preceded it. The building itself stood separate from the line, encased in gray brick veneer and shaped like an extended letter "L" with a long, open air patio that sat parallel to the interior structure. The outdoor area was entirely visible to the street, but enclosed by a short, iron wrought fence, with no access from the sidewalk. A small number of tables and chairs filled the space, and there was what appeared to be a garden perched in the very back of the patio—from her current position, Davina couldn't make out the details, but it certainly piqued her already intense interest. Tendrils of climbing ivy encased the narrow pillars of the structure, appearing almost cartoonish in nature—on a whim, she reached out to touch the foliage, pleased to discover that it was indeed real. She hadn't realized that Shuichi was watching her when she did so, and was nearly startled by the sound of his voice.

"This is the place," he said, motioning towards the twin glass doors that served as the entrance with a hand—there was a small sign that sat perched above the doorway that gave a name to the venue in question: _The Secret Garden Café_. "Shall we head inside?" She nodded in agreement, mildly surprised when Shuichi moved to hold the door open for her—it was a kind gesture, one that she hadn't expected, and she thanked him with a small smile as she slipped past him.

The interior of the space was minimalistic, but beautifully done, with dark woods and pale stone—the welcoming aroma of coffee flooded Davina's nose as she took in her new surroundings, causing her to smile. There were plants everywhere, flowering bushels and stout shrubs, all encased in pots and planters of different styles and sizes. Their vibrant hues offered pleasant bursts of color among the monotone background, and multicolored lights hung forth from the tall ceiling, providing an ethereal glow to the lengthy room. A small bar sat off to the left, offering beverages and snacks, and a makeshift stage dominated the very back of the vestibule, hosting a horde of music equipment—a grand piano sat among the collective, which made Davina experience yet another a pang of brief longing, her fingers nearly twitching with the desire to play.

As with the exterior area, chairs and tables entertained the majority of the space, strategically placed as to permit narrow walkways among the furniture. It was fairly populated within the café, hosting mostly younger people much like themselves, many of whom Davina bet attended their school—with it being in such close proximity, it was a safe wager to make, even though she recognized no one.

"So, where would you like to sit?" her companion asked, suddenly claiming her wayward attention. "They have live music set to start within the hour, so it will get fairly noisy in here—perhaps the patio?"

As much as the idea of watching a musical performance appealed to her, Davina was more interested in holding a conversation with Shuichi—a task that would prove challenging if done within the presence of a band playing. So she readily agreed to his suggestion with a nod. "That sounds fine—shall we grab a drink first?" He nodded, and Davina took the lead, walking over to the bar with Shuichi at her heels.

After a quick perusal of the menu board, Davina decided to depart from her usual routine and ordered an iced coffee flavored with gomme syrup. Shuichi opted for tea, ordering a green Sencha with a splash of milk. When it came time to settle the bill, she had her money at the ready, ignoring the strange look that had gathered on her companion's visage when she paid for both their beverages. They relocated to the pick-up area at the opposing end of the bar to wait for their drinks to be made.

"You didn't have to do that," Shuichi said plainly as Davina watched the barista prepare their order with a curious eye.

"I wanted to," she offered quietly, turning her gaze to meet his and giving him a small smile. "Consider it a thank you for taking me here. If you'd like, you can always get the next one."

"Fair enough," he responded, returning her smile. "And I most certainly will."

Their beverages were placed before them, housed in actual glassware in place of disposable cups. With careful hands, they claimed their drinks and ventured out onto the patio. Davina was drawn to the garden area near the back of the space, and immediately claimed a table near it—it was a picturesque scene, dominated by a dwarf Sakura tree and accented by Bracken ferns, Heuchera in colors of soft purple and pale pink, and clusters of ivory white Hydrangea. A small stone waterfall fountain sat among the landscape, the echo of softly running water providing a pleasant ambiance for those in close proximity. She slipped into a chair, with Shuichi mimicking her actions and perching across from her.

"So, what do you think?" he asked softly, his hands moving to rest upon the warm porcelain of his cup. It was a subtle movement, but one that briefly drew Davina's attention—his fingers were long and elegant, ending in short, tidy nails. Their presence made the mug in his hand seem small, and yet the manner in which he held it was firm, but careful. It made her wonder how they would feel, holding her own hand, clasping her shoulder, stroking her hair, her back, perhaps even other parts of her body—she shook those thoughts away, knowing that they were inappropriate to entertain, but unable to quell her interest in such a thing.

"I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect," she admitted thoughtfully. "But it's wonderful."

. . .

Shuichi was admittedly trapped well within his own head by the time Davina had made her way over to where he sat. His mental outburst had turned his considerably good mood sour, and he was having a hard time collecting himself. He remained seated until only a short distance remained between them, and forced himself to rise to his feet just as she halted her step, leaving only a brief space to separate them. The potent scent of her perfume surrounded him, seeming to taunt him despite his previous enjoyment of it. She greeted him, and he spoke in turn, his voice odd even to his own ears. It wasn't a pleasant sound, and it lingered even as he announced the impending arrival of their transportation. If she noticed his less than agreeable tone, she didn't comment on it, opting to ask about the location they were heading to instead.

"You'll find out soon enough," he offered, trying to mask the short measure of his words by pairing them with a half hearted smile. A few minutes later found them seated on the train, on the way to their destination—he had selected a seat nearest to the exit, and Davina had claimed the spot to his right. The train was nearly empty, a drastic difference from the crowds that usually occupied the trams on weekdays, and they sat in silence—but unlike their prior interactions, this silence was heavy with tension, and he could see that his companion had begun to feel out of place.

He could sense her growing confusion, and nearly taste her concern, but found himself unable to speak up and placate her. He wanted to, but the part of him that was bitter over his maddening reaction prevented him from attempting such a thing. Perhaps this whole thing was a mistake—he didn't want to worsen the situation by being in a foul mindset, and yet his possessive reaction to seeing her had him internally reeling. He felt as if his carefully cultivated control was slipping, and to be at the mercy of forces greater than himself had understandably put him on edge.

It was Davina's voice calling his name that snapped him out of the trance he had failed to realize himself imprisoned by. Her tone had altered from sweet to almost rigid, a sudden change that immediately claimed his attention and prompted him to unwillingly meet her stare.

"Is everything alright? You seem off today," she offered sullenly, her words tainted with a distress she was attempting to keep hidden. It was this realization that made him feel, for lack of a better word, like an absolute asshole. Shuichi knew it had been on a whim in which she had asked for his company, but from what he had gathered about her and judging by her subsequently embarrassed reaction, it hadn't been an easy request for her to make. She had clearly been excited for their meet up, and here he was, acting sullen and moody, like he wished to be anywhere but in her presence. Davina wasn't to blame for the actions of his overzealous mind, even if she was the focus of its uncouth demands.

"Of course," he replied quietly, fighting back a sigh of defeat. Despite everything, he genuinely did want the afternoon to go well, his own internal battles be damned. It wasn't at all fair to her, and for what it was worth, Shuichi didn't want to see her upset—who knew what sort of reaction such a thing would rouse within him, and in the end, he would only have himself to blame for it. "My apologies, I suppose I do have a lot on my mind at the moment." He kept his response vague, hoping it would satisfy her.

"We don't have to do this is, if you'd rather not," she said—her voice was quiet, almost eerily calm, but something in the very scent of her body altered as the words left her lips. The normally sweet fragrance was disrupted by the pungent odor of undeniable disappointment, and it left an astringent taste on his tongue. Something deep within him growled with disapproval, but the harsh sound was directed towards himself instead of another—it was truly as if he were currently at war with himself, and that his other self was intensely displeased at how he was handling the situation. He knew by her offer that she was attempting to give him a way out—he was grateful towards her for such a generous action, but ultimately refused to take it. He would see things through, and deal with the consequences later.

"No, I very much want to—I wouldn't have come if I hadn't," he replied bluntly, refusing to let things progress down the dark path in which they had started on. Shuichi sighed, feeling the urge to resist grow lax, and shaking his head in a pitiful attempt to free his mind of the shackles that restrained it. "I'm truly sorry if I gave you the notion that I felt otherwise." His words rang true—he genuinely was apologetic, even in the face of his own adversity.

"It's alright," Davina said, and he heard the reprieve in her voice, which quelled his own discontentment in some small way. Perhaps he could still salvage their time together—if nothing else, he had to make the attempt.

"I do hope you like the place we're heading to," he said lightly, offering her a real smile. It had the desired effect—she appeared to brighten almost instantly at his minute effort, which did prompt him to feel less gloomy.

"I guess we'll find out shortly, seeing as you insist on keeping it a surprise," she teased, her gray green eyes digging mischievously into his own.

Much to Shuichi's relief, things did improve in the minutes that followed—their venture to the destination he had selected was had mostly in silence, but a much more tranquil one than what had hung overhead during their brief train ride. Once they had reached the café, he studied her intently, curious to see her reaction. He watched as she reached over to caress the leaves of a climbing ivy vine that clung to one of the building's pillars, quite liking the way her visage molded into one of pleasure at the realization that they were indeed real and not artificial.

"This is the place," he announced, gesturing towards the entrance as she took in the new sight, her eyes aglow with intrigue and wonder. "Shall we head inside?" She nodded in agreement, and Shuichi moved to hold the door open for her, a gesture born of courteous instinct. Her eyes grew wide with surprise at the movement, as if she hadn't anticipated such politeness. She gifted him with a kind smile before stepping past the threshold—he followed suit, pausing just abreast of where she had stopped to study her new surroundings.

The Secret Garden Café was exactly as he had remembered—it had been quite a few months since he had last visited, and he was happy to see that it had remained unchanged. After a short conversation concerning where to sit, they headed over to the bar to order some drinks, and Davina surprised him by paying for his without question. He certainly hadn't expected such a thing, although he did appreciate the gesture. When he voiced his opinion over the matter, she smiled and informed him that it was simply an act of gratitude for him meeting up with her. When she went on to say that he could always get the next round, he readily agreed.

Once they have obtained their beverages, the pair headed out onto the quaint patio area. Shuichi held back, permitting Davina to choose their seating arrangements—he was appreciative when she selected a table closest to the garden, and quickly moved to stake her claim. It was a spot with a lovely view of the blossoming foliage and one where a guest could enjoy the calming sounds of the charming waterfall that was perched strategically among the plants—a location that he would have picked himself. They slid into their respective seats, and settled in. Out of habit, Shuichi's hands moved upwards to clasp his mug, the warmth of the porcelain comforting against the calloused skin of his palms. It was something he tended to do when he had a warm beverage, although there was little reason for such a routine.

"So, what do you think?" he asked his companion, fairly interested in her opinion of the place he had picked for their rendezvous. Shuichi watched with an inquisitive gaze as Davina's eyes trailed down to where his hands rested on his cup—she appeared to study them, if only for a short few seconds—he found himself wondering why she had been compelled to do such a thing, but didn't ask as to why. Her attention fled his appendages and met his stare once again, an appealing smile coming to rest on her soft looking lips.

"I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's wonderful," she offered quietly.

Her response prompted him to smile with satisfaction.

"I'm happy you think so," he replied evenly, as she raised her glass to her lips and took a long sip of her iced coffee. A little sigh of pleasure escaped her at the taste, and while the sound itself was harmless, it made something deep within Shuichi's loins twitch.

"So, shall we begin?" Davina asked, placing her glass back down on the wooden table top.

He nodded his head in agreement and gestured for her to begin the conversation with an inviting wave of his hand.

*Author's Note: My apologies for the delay, I actually just got home from Chicago a few days prior and had hoped to complete this shortly after returning, but it took a bit longer than I had anticipated. Thank you to my newest followers and those who favorite this story, Yoko89, Monica Alexandra, BlackBulletButterfly, heyhaley17, Chrissystixx, and Lestatsgirl15. My appreciation goes out to repeat reviewer, Glass Dragon's Rose—I rather enjoyed your suggestion, and while I cannot confirm or deny, all will be revealed as we progress. And an additional thank you to Lestatsgirl15 for taking the time to leave me a review as well—I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the story! The second part of this interaction is currently underway, as it just proved to be too long for a single chapter. I plan to have it done sometime this weekend, so keep an eye out for it soon. You guys are wonderful, and I'm grateful to all of you readers for sticking with me. As always, any correspondence is appreciated! Thank you, everyone.


	8. Chapter 8 - She's Always a Woman

After a rousing conversation that had claimed the better part of an hour, Shuichi found himself feeling far more positive than he had at the commencement of their meet up. Speaking with Davina had proven to be even more stimulating than he had anticipated, and they had shared a great deal about themselves with one another over the short duration of time they had been in each other's company. There was a natural flow to their exchange, one that required little prompting and hosted little more than short pauses, the transition from one subject to another nearly effortless and simple to delve into.

It was a inspiring sort of discussion, one that genuinely kept his interest and only prompted the urge for more—they had shared the predictable information about their families, tidbits about their personal lives, their goals, and had since moved on to their preferred hobbies and musical tastes. Shuichi was pleased to learn that they both shared a love of reading the same genres of books, and enjoyed much of the same music. It came as relief to be given the opportunity to learn more about her, and as such, she no longer felt like a stranger to him. In truth, Davina now felt more familiar to him than he could have ever anticipated as being possible from one extended interaction. He found himself harboring a fondness for her that hadn't been present prior, and while the notion carried a lot of weight with it, he didn't allow it to dissuade him.

Davina's mood, much like his own, had taken a considerable turn for the better, and her enthusiasm had made her much more animated, which only encouraged him to match her level of energy. Despite their rocky start, Shuichi had to admit that he was rather enjoying himself—they had the patio area more or less to themselves, as everyone else in attendance at the café was inside, enjoying the band that was playing. The echoes of the music could be heard from where they perched, and the side of the building that led out onto the porch vibrated with the force of the melodies that lingered from within.

With their beverages long depleted, Shuichi made the offer to grab them fresh drinks, and Davina readily agreed. He rose from the table and headed inside to order up another round, enjoying the band's decent cover of _Renegade_, as made popular by the American rock band, Styx, while he awaited the preparation of their goods. The interior of the café was now quite crowded, and the barista, despite moving at an impressive pace, took a few minutes to make their drinks.

With their glasses in hand, Shuichi left the interior, using his back to push open the doors that fed out onto the patio. He turned to head to their table, immediately surprised at the sight of an unfamiliar man perched in his seat across from Davina. Judging by the looks of things, she appeared rather uncomfortable by this strange presence, but was attempting to be polite, even as her gaze flittered nervously around the perimeter.

Shuichi felt a deep seated anger blossom within his chest at the sight—who was this stranger that dared to approach her in his absence, much less try to engage in conversation with her? He swallowed hard, attempting to calm his internal fury as he approached, purposely putting more weight into his steps in an attempt to make his presence known. The man's back was to him as he walked over to their table, and he caught wind of the conversation, which was fairly one-sided.

"Are you sure I can't grab you a drink? It's a shame that someone so pretty is out here all by herself," he heard the guy say, and took the opportunity to clear his throat. The subtle sound had the desired effect, catching the uninvited party's attention almost instantly. He glanced over his shoulder, spotting Shuichi, his dark eyes growing wide with surprise.

"As you can see, she's not by herself," Shuichi announced, his tone thick with irritation as he placed their beverages down on the table top in their respective places. The look of absolute relief was clear on Davina's visage, and it quelled his anger somewhat. "And even if she was, there is nothing about her body language that claims she's comfortable with you inviting yourself into her presence, so I kindly suggest that you take your leave."

The guy stood up at once, looking sheepish.

"Sorry, man, I didn't know she had a boyfriend," he offered, appearing embarrassed for intruding.

"I did say that I was here with someone," Davina interjected bluntly, her voice heavy with obvious discomfort. "You chose to ignore that."

"Well, I didn't see you out here with anyone," the unnamed party sputtered, appearing defensive.

"It doesn't matter," Shuichi offered coldly, his eyes growing narrow as he fixed the man with a harsh stare. The guy finally took the hint, deciding it best to not attempt to argue, and fled the patio. Davina sighed in reprieve as he relocated back inside, fixing Shuichi with a grateful smile.

"Thank you for that," she said, the bitter scent of her distress quickly fleeing the surrounding air.

"Happy I could be of service," he retorted, attempting to smile over at her disarmingly. Internally, he was still somewhat seething, but witnessing her genuine comfort at his reappearance had calmed the worst of it. "I suppose I can hardly blame him for wanting to speak with you. If I were him, I'd be thirsting for your attention, too." He almost regretted the honest admission as the words fled his lips, but by the time he had realized just what he had said, it was far too late to withdraw his statement. She appeared surprised at his declaration, but managed to recover quickly enough.

"Well, my attention isn't for him," she replied evenly, meeting his gaze as he slid back down into his chair. Her response prompted a flood of satisfaction to wash over Shuichi, who fixed her with a agreeable smile.

"Thank you for my coffee," she tacked on, reaching for her glass and taking a long sip of the cold beverage.

"You're quite welcome."

"Was that _Renegade_ I heard being played in there?"

"It was."

"A great song—sounds like they were making a good go of it."

"I would say so."

"I wonder if they take requests."

Shuichi considered her inquiry for a moment.

"I believe they do, towards the end of their set, which should be any minute now."

"Think we could get them to play some Billy Joel?" she asked softly, referencing their earlier conversation. Davina had been pleasantly surprised to discover that he too was an avid fan of the piano playing musician, an artist who had been introduced to him during his youth by his mother.

"It's a fair possibility. Did you want to head inside and find out?"

She nodded her head in agreement, and after a long moment, the pair relocated to the café's interior.

Due to the crowd, it was impossible to find seating, so the pair opted to stand at the bar with their drinks. Shuichi wasn't entirely pleased at their new position, but pushed his discontentment aside, standing in close proximity to Davina, who had perched just in front of him and was watching the stage with an interested eye. The band was in the midst of playing _Careless Whisper_ by Wham!, and judging by the loose sway of her lithe body to the music, she was rather enjoying the song.

Once their current song came to a conclusion, the lead vocalist put out the offer for requests. Before Davina had the opportunity, Shuichi was headed over to place one on her behalf—she hadn't mentioned her favorite Billy Joel song in their prior conversation, so he requested his own. The singer seemed appreciative at his suggestion, and readily agreed to perform it.

"Any announcement to go with it for your girl?" he asked, his question catching Shuichi briefly off guard.

"Erm, she's not my girl…at least, not yet," Shuichi replied, attempting a halfhearted joke.

"Ah, gotcha. Well, good luck, man. We'll play it for ya shortly."

He nodded in appreciation and returned to Davina's side, meeting her curious gaze as he slipped back into his spot.

"What did you ask them to play?" she inquired, quirking a brow in his direction.

"Something I think you'll enjoy—or so I hope," he offered with an air of mystery, accompanied by a smirk that was almost playful in nature.

Davina opened her mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by the head singer speaking over the microphone, his voice booming throughout the establishment.

"This first request goes out to the girl who isn't his girl—at least, not yet," he announced with a smile, and Shuichi felt his stomach churn as if he had sustained a sharp hit to the belly—well, fuck. That hadn't been his intention, but the words were already spoken for all to hear. The piano player began to play, the unmistakable tones of Billy Joel's _She's Always A Woman_ filling the air. The vocalist began to croon into the mic, and his voice flooded the room with the powerful lyrics of the song.

"_She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes…  
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies…  
And she only reveals what she wants you to see…  
She hides like a child but she's always a woman to me…"_

So lost in his own turmoil was he that Shuichi almost missed Davina's gasp of pleasure at the realization of the song begin performed.

"This is my favorite Billy Joel song!" she exclaimed, her eyes set aglow with abrupt joy. If the singer's prior statement had affected her at all, she did not show it. She looked over at Shuichi and fixed him with a smile that beamed brightly, lighting up her entire face with a delightful glee that was innocent and endearing. Despite his feelings, Shuichi felt himself smiling back at her—her visage was infectious, and he couldn't deny the sense of accomplishment he experienced at the sight.

"Mine as well," he admitted, watching her intently as she began to hum along with the melody. He was hit with a sudden urge to slip his hands around her waist and pull her towards him, but forced he desire away, knowing that such an action wouldn't be appropriate for their current station. Davina turned to watch the stage, leaving her back to Shuichi, who couldn't stop himself from inhaling deeply into his lungs the intoxicating aroma that accompanied her delight. When the song came to a close, she turned back to face him, causally placing her hand atop his and fixing it with a concise squeeze.

"Thank you," she offered, staring up at him with those striking eyes of her, her gaze suddenly shy. He nodded at her, his stare meeting hers, and for a long moment, their eyes locked and held, bearing deep into each other as her hand released the hold on his. He nearly groaned at the sight of those gray green orbs slipping down to survey his lips, as if she were contemplating kissing him—it was only for the briefest of seconds, but the thought behind that look was unmistakable. Shuichi felt a pang of disappointment as her stare fell lower, onto his chest, a soft pink flush blooming on her pale cheeks, as if even considering the notion embarrassed her.

She was obviously caught up in the moment, but struggling to maintain herself and respect the unspoken boundaries that hung between them. Part of him was grateful to her for it—the other part of him desired for her to throw caution to the wind and take the plunge. The moment ended when the next song request began to play, and Davina returned her attention to the stage, her back once more facing Shuichi. He permitted himself a small, quiet sigh then, knowing that she wouldn't be able to perceive the subtle sound over the din that filled the room.

. . .

In light of how well things were progressing, Davina found herself to be in a rather delightful mood—all of the prior discomfort between Shuichi and herself had abated, and for that, she was grateful. The ease in which they conversed came as a surprise to her—she felt compelled to share herself with him, encouraged by his steady interest and detailed responses to her inquiries. The fact that Shuichi appeared as if he too were enjoying their chat with a similar kind of vigor only inspired her previously dwindling confidence, which provided her a sense of blissful reprieve. In light of their sharing, she was certainly more relaxed around him now, and had discovered a sort of tranquility in his presence alone—she found herself liking him even more than she had originally anticipated, an idea which made her feel both exceedingly nervous and yet eager at the same time.

Time had managed to escape their grasp while in each other's company, their drinks having vanished at some point—Davina only noticed her glass was lacking when she raised it to her lips to claim a sip and was awarded only with a few mere droplets of coffee. Shuichi must have noticed, as he made the suggestion to grab another round, and she was quick to agree. Of his own accord, he snatched up their empty cups and left their table on the patio to into the café, the echoes of the live music flittering outside in wake of his entrance into the building.

Davina thought she recognized the song as it reached her ears, but wasn't certain—she knew that some of the earlier genres of American music had been rather popular in Japan. Her late grandparents had boasted quite an impressive collection of old records, many of them American rock and contemporary tunes from the seventies and eighties. It had been Grandpa Ishihara that had shared his fondness of that particular kind of music with her when she was a child, which had prompted her own discovery and inspired her to branch out accordingly—the old man had certainly had good taste in tunes, and had even left her a good chunk of his collection upon his passing. One of her favorite memories of her grandfather was centered around them cooking a meal together and singing along to David Bowie.

Davina found herself smiling at the recollection—lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the arrival of a strange party onto the patio. Before she had the chance to react, her uninvited guest had perched himself in Shuichi's vacant chair, and was smiling over at her with obvious interest. Her eyes widened at his unanticipated presence, startled at his audacity to approach her without any sort of prompting. He was obviously older than she, but only by a handful of years, with dark eyes and poorly dyed blue hair, dressed in dark clothing and unabashedly eying her the way a hungry lion might gaze at an isolated gazelle. Immediately, she experienced a sense of unease, but held herself together.

"Can I help you?" she asked pointedly, fixing him with a stare that was meant to discourage him. He ignored the look in its entirety, seemingly unfazed by her obvious lack of want for their interaction.

"I've never seen you in here before," he offered, giving her a leisurely once over, his gaze lingering on her bosom without shame. "You new around here?"

"I am, and I'm here with someone, so perhaps you should—"

"You should let me buy ya a drink," he interjected, completely interrupting her words and then acting as if she hadn't been speaking to him. Her discomfort was peppered with frustration—she wasn't one for confrontation, and on the few rare occasions in which she had been similarly cornered in such a manner, she could never seem to abandon her politeness and tell the offending person to fuck off, even when it was warranted and the desire to do so was biting. Her best friend was far better at this sort of thing—Selina's backbone was made of steel, and she had absolutely no issue with telling someone to go take a long walk off a short cliff.

"No thank you," she replied shortly, wishing she could channel even an iota of Selina's '_fuck you and the horse you rode in on'_ sass. "I'm not interested."

"Aww, c'mon now, no need to be like that," the unnamed man cooed, feigning a hurt look. "I'm just trying to be friendly. Are you sure I can't grab you a drink? It's a shame that someone so pretty is out here all by herself."

The sound of a throat being loudly cleared drew Davina's attention then, and it was with a rush of respite that she realized Shuichi had returned. The sound had the guy glancing back, his eyes growing wide when he caught wind of Shuichi's presence.

"As you can see, she's not by herself," the redheaded male spoke, his tone aflame with obvious annoyance. He moved forward to place their refreshed beverages down on the table, a silent warning lingering behind his eyes. "And even if she was, there is nothing about her body language that claims she's comfortable with you inviting yourself into her presence, so I kindly suggest that you take your leave."

The guy immediately ejected himself out of the seat, looking almost guilty.

"Sorry, man, I didn't know she had a boyfriend," he responded, having the gall to sound embarrassed, which only made Davina experience a rush of irritation.

"I did say that I was here with someone," she said frigidly. "You chose to ignore that."

"Well, I didn't see you out here with anyone," he retorted, to which she fixed him with an incredulous stare.

"It doesn't matter," Shuichi continued, his eyes narrowing. There was a silent power behind that harsh gaze, one that prompted the guy to exit the patio much like a dog that had been scolded by his owner. He fled back into the café's interior without further protest. Davina nearly sighed with liberation at his hasty retreat, shooting an appreciative smile her companion's way.

"Thank you for that," she offered, feeling at ease once more. His presence made her feel safe, now that he had managed to scare away the riff raff with a mere glare.

"Happy I could be of service," he replied, returning her smile, even if there was still heat behind his intense gaze. "I suppose I can hardly blame him for wanting to speak with you. If I were him, I'd be thirsting for your attention, too." Davina felt her visage contort with shock at his unexpected statement, the meaning behind his words almost too much for her mind to process in the moment. Regardless, it sent a sudden rush of heat to warm her belly, and she fought the urge to let the warmth singe her cheeks.

"Well, my attention isn't for him," she responded quickly, her lips forming the words before she could consider them. It was a true statement, one that caused Shuichi's smile to widen, as if her honest admission had pleased him in some unspoken way while he reclaimed his seat.

"Thank you for my coffee," she offered quietly, snatching up her drink and swallowing a considerable mouthful, her mouth having suddenly gone dry.

"You're quite welcome."

A long moment of silence followed, and Davina opted to steer the conversation away from the aggravating event that had just transpired.

"Was that Renegade I heard being played in there?" she inquired curiously.

"It was."

So, she had been correct about the selection—Styx had been among her grandfather's favorite bands. "A great song—sounds like they were making a good go of it."

He appeared to consider her opinion. "I would say so."

"I wonder if they take requests," she said curiously. She would love to hear more from the band—judging from what she had already heard, they were quite talented, and she bet they could do justice to a few of her favorites if asked.

"I believe they do, towards the end of their set, which should be any minute now," Shuichi offered, which inspired her further.

"Think we could get them to play some Billy Joel?" The mention of one of their mutually favorite musicians made him appear thoughtful, as if he were considering the idea.

"It's a fair possibility. Did you want to head inside and find out?" he asked softly, to which she nodded. She knew it would interrupt their interaction, but she couldn't quell her desire to enjoy at least a segment of the live music that was offered.

'_Just a song or two_,' she told herself. '_Then we can return here afterwards._'

They headed inside—as expected, there was no seating available, so they claimed a small free space over at the bar, standing before it with their drinks on the wooden bar top. The band was currently playing their rendition of George Michael's _Careless Whisper_, complete with the heady saxophone rift. Davina couldn't help but smile—the saxophone player was making easy work of the prominent solo, and that in itself made her happy. She stood just in front of Shuichi, her eyes drawn to the stage, her body swaying almost instinctively to the melody as it echoed among the room. The acoustics of the building were amazing, which only heightened the experience.

Shortly after the current song concluded, the lead asked the audiences for any requests. Davina was prepared to head forth, but Shuichi beat her to the punch, making his way over to the stage before she could move. She witnessed him share a brief conversation with the singer, and found herself curious over what song he would select for them to play.

"What did you ask them to play?" she asked inquisitively upon his return. She found herself entertaining a vague hope that, if he had requested anything from Billy Joel, it wasn't the hit, _Piano Man—_a great song, but one that she found to be over played and almost lack luster compared to some of his other works.

"Something I think you'll enjoy—or so I hope," he replied evenly, his lips molding into a knowing smirk that made something within her tingle with anticipation. She prepared to respond to him, only to find herself halted as the lead singer once again grabbed the mic to make an announcement.

"This first request goes out to the girl who isn't his girl—at least, not yet," he offered to the full room, smiling over in the direction of Shuichi and Davina. Her eyes grew wide, but before she could react, the saxophone player had taken up residence on the stage's piano and had begun to play a tune that rang familiar within her ears—_She's Always A Woman_, by none other than Billy Joel. The singer began to belt out the lyrics to a song held close to her heart, and in that moment, Davina's mind couldn't focus on the intriguing statement that had preceded it. She gasped aloud with delight.

"This is my favorite Billy Joel song!" she announced excitedly, glancing over at Shuichi and fixing him with a smile that spoke volumes.

"Mine as well," he offered, appearing pleased by her ecstatic reaction. She couldn't keep herself from humming eagerly along to the melody, giving her back to him once again in favor of watching the musicians play through the song.

"_And she'll promise you more than the Garden of Eden…  
Then she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleeding…  
But she'll bring out the best and the worst you can be…  
Blame it all on yourself cause she's always a woman to me…"_

At the conclusion, Davina returned her attention to Shuichi, unable to stop herself from putting her hand on top of his own and favoring it with a firm squeeze of appreciation.

"Thank you," she said kindly, realizing just how intensely his stare was he looked down at her. It drew her in quickly, even as he fixed her with a short nod, holding steady. Those emerald depths were intoxicating, and for a long moment, Davina lost herself in them. The sudden urge to step forward and press her lips against his struck her with a fierceness she didn't understand, prompting her gaze to shift from his eyes down to the expanse of his lips, which looked painfully tempting. She considered the action, but ultimately decided to let the moment pass, not believing that such a gesture would be welcomed by her companion and not wanting to ruin the rapport so newly established between them. Davina lowered her gaze onto his chest, feeling her cheeks rapidly flush with heat. She wanted to kiss him, truly she did—but she also realized that her desire was inspired by the current mental high she was experiencing, and to act on such an urge when all caught up in her own feelings would be folly. But for the tiniest second, she could have sworn she witnessed disappointment momentarily cloud his eyes when she dared to glance back up.

Fortunately, a distraction arrived when the band moved on to play their next request, a Japanese song she did not know off hand, but she took the opportunity to focus her attention back to the stage, needing a few minutes to collect herself and get her head straight. Following several more requests, they finished their drinks and ultimately decided that it was time to head for home—Davina couldn't hide her surprise when she realized that they had been at the café for nearly three hours—it was just after five when they left to head for the train station.

By the time they had made the walk back to the depo, much of Davina's giddiness had escaped her, but left her in a state of delicate euphoria that left a smile etched upon her lips. She hadn't anticipated things going as well as they had, especially when the manner in which the day had started out was taken into consideration.

The return ride was again had in silence, but a pleasant one. Once they had disembarked, Shuichi, ever a gentleman, offered to walk her home. While she didn't wish to inconvenience him, she agreed, not wanting to part from his company until absolutely necessary. They ambled to her apartment, and he walked her all the way over to the stairs, pausing so they could say their farewells.

"Thank you for an amazing day," she said, feeling a pang of disappointment that things had finally come to an end. She climbed up two of the stairs and paused in her stride to look back at him. "I had an incredible time with you," Davina admitted quietly, letting her words linger in favor of buying a few more moments in his presence.

"As did I," he replied, offering her a gentle smile, his eyes soft. "Perhaps we can do it again sometime soon?"

"I'd like that," she responded, hoping that his suggestion was a sincere one.

"Hopefully, I'll see you at school. If not, please feel free to message me."

"I definitely will. If you don't mind, will you shoot me a quick text when you get home? Just so I know that you made it there safe?"

Her concern for his well being appeared to surprise him, but he nodded in silent agreement.

"Have a good evening, Davi," he offered, calling her by her nickname for the first time in their short companionship. She rather liked the way it sounded when spoken in his voice.

"You too, Shuichi. I'll talk to you soon."

He took his leave of her then, and she climbed the remaining stairs up to the second floor, making the short walk over to her apartment door. She paused in her stride, turning to glance out over the balcony at his retreating form. She only watching him for a moment, but felt her heart leap at the sight, her belly doing a nervous little flip as she witnessed him cross the street and continue on his way. Swallowing hard, she returned to her door, unlocking it and slipping inside. After closing it behind her, she rested her back against the smooth wood, sighing heavily and staring up at the textured ceiling as she took a long minute to collect herself.

Well, it didn't take a genius to understand that she liked him, and as more than just a simple friend. And judging by his own reactions, he might very well be entertaining the same idea. She was hesitant to even entertain such a possibility, but yet, here she was, hoping and almost painfully optimistic.

"I am so _screwed_," she announced to her empty apartment, smiling in spite of herself.

*Author's Note: Thank you to Lestatsgirl15 for leaving another review. The next chapter is currently underway.


	9. Chapter 9 - Burdened By The Unknown

As the evening progressed, the pleasant high Davina was entertaining as a result of her afternoon adventure with Shuichi waned from near euphoric to a minute but consistent sense of satisfaction. Following her return home, she had turned her attention back to her responsibilities, cooking a simple dinner and preparing her school bag and clothing for the following morning—for a brief interlude, she had considered attempting to accomplish another page for her research paper, but quickly vetoed the idea, knowing that she wouldn't have the discipline needed to concentrate on such a task, given her current mindset.

As promised, Shuichi had sent her a short message upon his arrival home some time after their parting, to which she had responded positively. However, there had been no further contact to follow—odds are he was busy with similar tasks to ready himself for the week ahead, and contemplating their outing, same as she was. Davina thought it best to let things be as they were, and, once her remaining obligations were completed, she decided to spend the remainder of her evening relaxing—her favorite method of doing so involved a lengthy candle-lit soak, something she hadn't indulged in since her move to Japan.

She drew a hot bath, pouring a generous amount of strawberry scented bubble bath into the tub as it filled, the force of the pouring water prompting small mountains of sudsy foam to form on the surface. As the water began to slowly rise, Davina tugged off her sun dress and undergarments, tossing her discarded clothing in a small heap near the door to be collected once she had indulged herself. After tying back her hair, wiping off the day's make-up, and washing her face, she applied a thick charcoal mask, covering her entire visage with the dark gray clay. Once the water was at an acceptable level, she turned the faucet into the off position, and lit several candles that stood on the edge of the porcelain basin—within a minute or so, the delicious scent of harvest apple flooded the space, adding to the overall atmosphere of the room.

Before she slipped into the tub, Davina turned off the overhead lights, the tiny flames of the candles providing plenty of light for her to maneuver herself slowly into the delightful embrace of the steaming water. Her skin recoiled for the first few seconds against the sudden sensation of the potent heat, but quickly adjusted—once she was amply submerged, her entire body swiftly grew lax, her muscles relaxing as she rested her head against the lip of the tub and sighed with contentment. Her eyes fell closed of their own accord, and she smiled to herself, finding pleasure in her choice.

She lingered in the bath until the water had faded from near boiling to tepid, and the charcoal mask had dried out on her face, her skin having grown tight against the dark clay that covered it. Pulling the drain plug, Davina exited the tub and quickly rinsed off the remaining suds that clung to her flesh—she wiped away what she could of the mask with her wet hands, then blew out the candles and left the washroom, heading into the atrium of the bathroom with a fresh towel in hand. Following up with a washcloth as she eyed her reflection in the mirror above the sink, she wiped away the streaks of the charcoal that remained, then patted her face and body dry. After applying a bit of moisturizer and combing out her hair, she quickly brushed her teeth and exited the bathroom, leaving the door cracked behind her.

With the damp towel wrapped firmly about her lithe form, Davina ventured into her bedroom and slipped into a fresh white tank top and a pair of loosely fitting red shorts, feeling fairly satisfied with her efforts. A quick glance at the digital clock that sat atop her nightstand informed her that it was well past nine, and while she was not overly tired, the urge to climb into bed and swaddle herself within the warmth of her sheets and blankets was immensely appealing, so she did just that. With her phone in hand, she lazily perused the internet, checking her emails and responding to a text from Selina that she had somehow missed earlier. It didn't take long for her to begin to drift off, and after a short while, she was nearly asleep.

But before oblivion could come forth to claim her, her phone vibrated suddenly within the confines of her hand, pulling her back from the void and demanding her attention. She cracked open an eye as she raised the device to her line of sight, all traces of sleep immediately fleeing as she recognized the name of whom the call was originating from. She hesitated, but only for a moment, then clicked the answer button and raised the phone to her ear, even as a lump of anxiety grew within her throat.

"Hi, mom," she said into the receiver, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hello, Davina," came the curt response, Mitsuyo's voice, despite its softness, sounding cold and almost disconnected—just as it always did. "Did I wake you? My apologies if I did—I didn't think you'd be asleep yet, given your fondness for late nights."

"No, it's fine—I was just laying in bed," she replied, pulling herself into a sitting position and risking a quick glance at the bedside clock—it was just after ten thirty, which meant it was around seven thirty over in Denver—despite it being the start of Sunday over in Denver, her mother was never one to sleep in late, even on the days she did not have work. "How are you?"

"I'm well. Your father told me he spoke to you earlier and that you're acclimating well over there—I trust that you're keeping up with your class work?"

"Of course," Davina responded, feeling almost as if she were being scolded. "To be honest, I expected my courses to be more difficult than they are, but the semester has only just started."

"Don't get lured into a false sense of security— Chishiki No Eda is a far cry from some lackluster community college. I'm certain you'll be challenged more as the year progresses."

"I'm sure I will," she said, trying to keep her voice from growing defensive—unfortunately, this sort of banter was typical with her mother—all throughout her high school years, she had spouted the same rhetoric. It seemed like nothing was ever good enough to please Mitsuyo, and while Davina had come to accept that fact, it didn't make the notion any less difficult to deal with. "Dad said you finally got that promotion at work—congratulations. I hope they aren't working you too hard."

"Thank you," her mother said dryly, her words lacking any enthusiasm. "I'm overseeing two of the most prominent districts in Denver now—the CEO of my company would like me to take on a third within the next six months."

"Isn't that a bit much?"

"It's an honor to be considered for such a thing—if I'm offered the appointment, I will not refuse it—it would be bad form to do so. You need not be concerned."

"Ah, well…that's great, mom. I'm…uh…happy for you."

"I'm sure you are—your father mentioned that you had a date earlier today." The tone of her mother's voice suggested that this information was displeasing to her, and despite her discomfort, Davina rolled her eyes at the stern comment. Mitsuyo seemed to be against the idea of her dating as a general rule—she had openly disliked her previous boyfriends, and had discouraged her from getting romantically involved with anyone. While her father was privy to the more intimate details of her love life, her mother knew only the bare minimum, and Davina was desperate to keep it that way—she couldn't image that her mother's reaction would be a positive one, given her rigid stance on such things.

"It wasn't a date, just a meet up with a new friend," she argued, struggling once again to keep her voice stoic. She could feel heat creep up the backside of her neck and took a long breath, shielding the phone's receiver with her hand to keep the sound from her mother's ears as she exhaled forcibly.

"Good—you don't need to date, that will only distract you from your school work. No man is worth risking your future," Mitsuyo stated plaintively—Davina could picture her face in that moment, severe and unyielding, her arms crossed firmly across her small bosom with a frown etched deep into her thin lips.

"Nothing is going to distract me, mom. You know that," she responded, attempting to keep the exasperation from her voice. "It never has."

"No it hasn't—and it's best to keep it that way."

Now having gone from entertaining feelings of mild irritation to full on frustration, Davina decided it best to change the subject—now that she finally had her mother on the phone, it seemed as a good a time as any to ask the questions she had long been putting to the side. There was no good transition to the topic in which she wished to breach, so she simply threw the first of her inquires out into the universe, casting aside her trepidation at doing so.

"Mom, I have a question about a pendant you have—the necklace with the fire opal. Do you know the one I'm referring to?" she asked bluntly, not sure what to expect as a reply.

A lengthy moment of silence followed, and for a second, Davina thought their call had disconnected.

"I do," her mother finally responded, the tone of her voice remaining flat and unaffected by the bizarre question. "Why do you ask?"

"Where did you get it?"

"Why is that relevant?"

Davina fought the urge to groan, further annoyed by her mother's attempt to belay her question.

"I just…need to know."

"It was a gift from my mother," she admitted after another long bout of silence.

"Do you know anything about the stone? Where it comes from?"

"No—why are you asking such strange questions? Have you been drinking?"

"Of course not!" Davina exclaimed, raising a hand to rub at her temples, which were now pounding with the presence of a looming headache. "I was just curious. I came across a similar pendant at one of the shops around here, and just wanted to know if there was any correlation." She voiced her lie, knowing that she couldn't reveal the true events that had taken place, lest her mother truly think she was under the influence.

"There is not," Mitsuyo said immediately, her voice growing dismissive. "It's simply an opal, nothing more. Any other odd questions you'd care to ask?"

The snide air to her words prompted a boldness in Davina that did not often reveal itself. Before she could truly consider her words, she spoke, the inquiry flying forth from her lips almost as if said by a voice that she harbored no control over.

"Actually, yes. Does the name _Kurosuna_ mean anything to you?"

"How do _you_ know that name?" Mitsuyo asked harshly, her words dressed in ice. For a brief second, Davina could have sworn she detected a sudden rasp of fear in her mother's voice.

Again, she lied through her teeth. "The shop owner said that the pendant originated from the Kurosuna Family—I don't know who they are, just the name."

"Promise me you'll never go back to that shop," her mother demanded, sounding as if she were speaking through gritted teeth. "You didn't purchase the pendant, did you?"

"No, I had no use for it."

"Good." There was no mistaking the relief in Mitsuyo's voice at her admission.

"Who are they, mom?" Her mother's reaction had prompted a new collective of questions, all which Davina knew better than to ask—in all honesty, she was surprised she had managed to get this far. Whoever the Kurosuna were, her mother feared them—that much was obvious. In truth, such knowledge only stoked her curiosity further—she wanted to mention the alien looking creature she had encountered, but could not do so without revealing the truth. Given her mother's feedback to what had already been shared, she knew better than to even attempt such a conversation.

"It's not relevant, Davina. I've had enough of this conversation," Mitsuyo announced bluntly, and Davina knew that was the end of their discussion. "You are not to go back to that shop, do you understand me?"

"Yes, mom," she offered agreeably, knowing that there was no point in arguing her mother's request—it hardly mattered, seeing as that particular instance had only been a fabrication.

"You best get off to bed. We'll speak again soon."

"Okay, mom. I'm sorry if I upset you." She was truly apologetic that she had caused her mother obvious distress, but at least the conversation had made something absolutely clear—her mother was hiding something from her, and whatever it was scared her. That notion in itself was more than enough to prompt Davina to investigate further, although she had little idea of where to begin her search.

Her mother bypassed her apology completely, opting to not acknowledge her admission of remorse. "Good night, Davina." The line went dead before she could respond, the subtle click of the disconnected call echoing within her ears. She withdrew the phone from her ear, reaching over to plug in her charger before resting it atop the nightstand. All desire to sleep had fled in light of the conversation that had just taken place, her mind attempting to process the information she had just acquired.

Mitsuyo had said that the pendant she owned had been a gift from her mother—Davina's grandmother, Eri Ishihara. But her grandmother was dead, and had been for the better part of three years—Davina's grandfather, Mamoru, had passed away only a year prior to his wife, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Eri had died unexpectedly, in her sleep—the autopsy reported that it had been a brain aneurysm that had claimed her life, but Davina believed it had ultimately been a broken heart that had ended her. She and Mamoru had been married for nearly seventy years, and she had withered rather quickly following his death—Mitsuyo had attempted to convince her to relocate to the states so that she could be among her family, but Eri had refused to leave the home she had built with her beloved husband. She had eventually died there, succumbing to death's embrace while resting within the confines of their marriage bed.

Davina could recall both of her grandparent's funerals with startling clarity—she had been little more than a child at the time, fourteen for her grandfather's, and newly fifteen for her grandmother's, but the images of their faces, both pale and oddly peaceful when laid out in their caskets, were forever burned into the banks of her memories. Both were held in the Buddhist tradition, with lengthy wakes that only hosted a small number of people in attendance. She could recall the period following the funerals, in which she had assisted her mother in collecting pieces of bone that remained among the cremated remains of both her grandparents with special chopsticks, and placing them in sacred urns—her brothers hadn't been willing to participate in the ritual, finding the entire process morbid and unsettling. Davina hadn't been keen on such a thing herself, but found herself compelled to help, finding some semblance of comfort in the cultural traditions that accompanied death.

After all was said and done, these ornate urns were placed within the Ishihara grave site, which sat within the Kumosetchi Cemetery. The family plot was a small one, hosting only Mamoru's mother and father, who had died long before Davina's birth. Once Mamoru and then Eri were laid to rest, Davina and her mother had decorated the site with flowers—she could remember their vibrant bursts of color against the dense gray stone, and even smell the musky sweet aroma of the incense that had been burned.

If Davina recalled correctly, the Ishihara home still remained—as the only living Ishihara child, Mitsuyo had inherited all of her deceased parent's assets. She had entertained the idea of selling her childhood home at one time, but had never followed through with the task. Although her memory at just where her grandparent's home was located was a bit vague, Davina believed she could find it easily enough—she reached for her phone and pulled up her internet browser. After only fifteen minutes, she had managed to discover the information she was seeking—the Ishihara House sat within the Chihayaakasaka village, near the mountains of Kongozan. It was the only village within the whole prefecture of Osaka, a rural area rich with history and a far cry from the busy metropolis that was the city. After mapping the destination, she discovered that it was just an hour or so away from her university, via a bus route.

It seemed a good place to start—perhaps, if she was lucky, she would uncover more information about this strange Kurosuna Family. It was a long shot, but one she wasn't willing to bypass. After some deliberation, she decided to head there Tuesday, following the conclusion of her last class—seeing as Tuesdays and Thursdays hosted only two of her classes and the second of those classes ended fairly early in the afternoon, it would afford her plenty of time to make the trip and return home at a reasonable hour. It was either that or wait until Saturday when she had no school obligations to make the venture. Truth be told, Davina wasn't keen on waiting that long.

With a plan in place, Davina returned her phone to its previous position and attempted to regain her comfortable position in bed. It took nearly two hours for her to finally fall asleep, her mind running amuck and refusing to quiet down. When she awoke early the next morning, she was still a victim of the headache inspired by her mother, her temples pounding and forehead throbbing with pain. She forced herself to adhere to her typical morning routine, popping two aspirins before leaving her apartment and making her walk over to the train station on sluggish legs.

Much to her displeasure, her headache had yet to abate once she reached the campus. Davina ambled off to the lecture hall for her first class, praying to a higher power that the day would go by fast.

. . .

Upon his return home, Shuichi was eagerly greeted by his mother, who immediately began to ask questions regarding his afternoon. He kept his answers vague, waiting until a break in the conversation to announce that he needed to head to his room in order to prepare himself for school the next morning. Once within the privacy of his bedroom, Shuichi sent a quick text message over to Davina to inform her that he had gotten home safe. A response arrived rather swiftly, but he chose to ignore it for the time being, knowing that he would easily shirk the things he needed to accomplish in favor of conversing with her further if he elected to view her reply.

His mind was awash in thoughts of their outing, replaying little moments that prompted him to smile. Things had gone better than he had anticipated, especially considering the sour start to their rendezvous, and for that, he was truly relieved. Shuichi was glad he had been able to learn more about her during their time together—at least now, his instinctive pangs of desire towards her held some merit, as she was no longer a total stranger. It was quite obvious that she too was entertaining similar feelings, and the notion pleased him greatly. Perhaps there could be something there, something valid and real, not just the byproduct of lustful wants. He knew it was far too early to make such a distinction, but for what it was worth, he felt hopeful that things would continue to progress in such a manner.

After fulfilling his obligations, Shuichi settled down for the evening, inspired to do a bit of light reading. He perused his book shelf, eventually withdrawing his copy of H.G Wells' _The_ _Time Machine_ from among the packed rows of novels. He made himself comfortable in bed and began to read—only when his eyes began to grow heavy with exhaustion did he abandon his efforts and give into the urge to sleep. He awoke the next morning, feeling content and well rested, ready to seize the day ahead.

For a Monday, the day seemed to fly by rather quickly, and before he knew it, he was back home, readying himself for his evening shift at the Koeda Café. Before he hit the door running, he decided to send a short message to Davina, inquiring about her day and wishing her well. Seeing as he did not have the time to await her response, he placed his phone within the confines of his pocket and headed off to work. By the conclusion of his shift, Shuichi was somewhat surprised to realize that he hadn't yet received a reply—in fact, the message had gone unread in its entirety. It struck him as unusual, but there was little he could do about it. He found himself entertaining feelings of mild concern, but forced them away—odds are she was busy with something, although that something could be any number of things.

Once he was home for the evening, he turned his attention to completing what remained of his homework, and upon completion of that, Shuichi reclaimed his book and took to reading once more. Thoughts about Davina still lingered, despite his attempt to distract himself. On impulse, he checked his phone once more, only to find much of the same as before regarding their correspondence. It had been nearly two hours since he had last looked upon it, and he felt his worry grow from meek to significant. Perhaps something was wrong—he considered giving her a call, but hesitated, not wanting to come across as overzealous. Rather than act on his urges, Shuichi decided it best to let things be—if tomorrow came around and she failed to respond to him, he'd call her then, if only to calm his concerns.

It took him quite a while to fall asleep, and even once he had managed to do so, he experienced a rather strange dream. Davina was present within this mental plane—her face and hair were the same, but her pale flesh was covered in odd gray markings that painted her from head to toe in a bizarre, symmetrical pattern, and her eyes appeared to glow with unspoken power. She wore a strange pendant about her neck, one reminiscent of an opal—it glittered as the surrounding light caught the bauble, sending sparkling fractals to paint her bared collar bones. A curious marking sat perched upon her throat, one that he had never before noticed—the flesh was slightly discolored, several shades darker than that of her porcelain skin and with a shape that vaguely reminded him of a dentate leaf.

Within the dream, Davina reached out to touch him, and that simple connection sent a massive shudder racing down the length of his spine—there was a force behind that touch that made the very cells of his physical being howl, although Shuichi wasn't sure if it was a reaction to pain or desperation for more. It took him a moment to realize that he was bleeding profusely from an injury that consumed the flesh of his shoulder—it was a deep laceration, one that he could almost feel, even though he was submersed within the confines of a dream.

Shuichi watched with curious eyes as Davina withdrew a small blade from an unseen holding, and swiftly drew the sharpen edge over the tender flesh of her palm, rendering a shallow gash that immediately prompted her own life force to pour forward—her blood was an odd shade of lavender, and seemed to teem with a life of its own. He stood motionless as she took her purposely wounded hand and placed it upon his own abrasion, her ichor melding with his tattered flesh. Swiftly the agony abated, and he could feel the ruined skin regenerating beneath the warm moisture of her palm. By the time she removed her appendage, the wound was healed over, the only evidence of there being any injury being the splatters of crimson that remained to paint his now smooth, unblemished flesh.

From there, he descended further into oblivion, his awareness of the dream as it played out in his mind's eye tapering off into nothingness. Shuichi awoke with a start, startled awake some hours later by the presence of a small, familiar hand touching his cheek. His eyes shot open, able to visualize his surroundings in spite of the darkness, and he found himself alone within his bedroom. He quickly sat up in bed, finding his brow drenched in sweat, his neck aching with tension that had not been there previously. A hand immediately moved to clasp his shoulder where the wound within his dream had lingered, only to find it unscathed.

Reaching for the glass of water he kept on his nightstand, Shuichi raised it to his lips and drained the tepid water that remained. He wasn't one to often have such vivid dreams, and the presence of this one had genuinely alarmed him. His mind had somehow painted Davina as an apparition, much like himself—such a thing was impossible. Her scent was unmistakably human, and she hosted no more spirit energy than that of a typical mortal. There was no trace of yoki anywhere within her whatsoever—of this, Shuichi was absolutely certain. Why his brain had opted to portray her in such a manner, he did not know. The longer he considered such a thing, the more he realized that no true explanation existed—it was simply a ploy of his imagination, which apparently had decided to go rogue, if only for a brief interlude.

A quick glance over at the clock informed him that it was hardly past the hour of three in the morning, and he sighed heavily with frustration. With the sudden influx of adrenaline that had accompanied his abrupt provocation from sleep, Shuichi knew he wouldn't be able to easily fall back into the arms of slumber. He lay there in bed, attempting to calm his rapidly beating heart and soothe himself—eventually, he was able to relax some, the tension in his neck lessening as he lie there with his eyes closed. But sleep didn't come, not for a long while. When his alarm went off several hours later, he woke with a loud groan, feeling as if he had merely blinked his eyes, only to be roused once more. With a full day of school and work ahead, he certainly wasn't eager for what awaited him.

*Author's Note: A huge thank you to the lovely Glass Dragon's Rose for the great review. I hope this chapter gives a little more insight, and trust me, more is coming quickly. Glad you approve of the music choices—to be honest, I was a bit hesitant in including some of my favorites, but hell, it makes me happy as an author and if you appreciate it as a reader, then I am satisfied with it. Thank you very much for your words of encouragement, they are infinitely appreciated and a driving force for me in writing this story. Thanks to Lestatsgirl15 as well for another review, all feedback is helpful to me. And thank you to AutumnKrystal and tess2015 for the favorites. You guys are great! The next chapter is coming soon! Appreciate you all!


	10. Chapter 10 - A Victim of Curiosity

As expected as a result of her not feeling her best, Davina's Monday dragged on relentlessly—her discomfort remained in full effect all throughout the duration of the day, making her short tempered and impatient. The moment she made it home, she treated herself to a quick shower and immediately congealed to her bed, placing a delightfully cool pillow over her head to further block out the world around her. She quickly fell into a light, dreamless sleep, awaking several hours later in a state of mild confusion. Much to her relief, the worst of her headache had finally dissipated—mild throbbing still remained, but it was far more manageable than the anguish she had been entertaining for what seemed like a small eternity. Realizing that she was both hungry and thirsty, she decided to rouse, leaving the comfort of her dark bedroom and slipping into the kitchen.

Left with little energy in spite of her nap, she opted to make a quick cup of noodles for sustenance and quickly drank a glass of cold water, which alleviated the parched dryness of her mouth and throat. While her meal prepared, Davina returned to her bedroom to reclaim her phone, eagerly checking the time—she had slept for longer than anticipated, and it was just after ten. An unread message awaited her—she saw Shuichi's name alongside the text that followed, but found herself unwilling to open the correspondence in that moment. Thanks to her unproductive evening, she hadn't touched any of her homework—seeing as she needed to complete a least an assignment or two, lest she run the risk of falling behind, Davina grudgingly planned to do so once she had eaten, not willing to indulge herself in anything that might distract her. It was well after midnight once she lost her will to continue, and, after halfheartedly brushing her teeth, she returned to her bed, overcome with sheer exhaustion.

Tuesday morning, she awoke only mere minutes prior to the ringing of her alarm, but was happy to note that her head no longer troubled her—in fact, despite the less than normal hours of deep sleep she had acquired after a late night, she felt fairly well rested. For this, she was grateful, because she had a rather long day ahead of her.

The hours of school came and went quickly, despite her budding trepidation at her impending venture into Chihayaakasaka. Thoughts of abandoning her efforts plagued her, but she refused to be deterred—odds are that the journey wouldn't amount to much of anything, but she had to follow through with it, if only to silence her nearly overwhelming curiosity. Shuichi's text from the previous night still lingered, unopened—she made a mental note to return his message upon her return home, worried that he would come to the conclusion that she was avoiding him. It wasn't her intention, but given the fact that her mind was amply preoccupied with the task at hand, she found herself unwilling to focus on much else.

With little issue, Davina came upon the bus stop that would carry her to her destination and waited for its arrival—after paying the fare, she claimed a window seat near the front end of the vehicle, and immediately slipped in her headphones, deciding it best to past the duration of the ride while listening to music and losing herself in thought. The playlist she selected from her music library was a random one, filled with a mix of songs that held no cohesion or likeness to one another. It began mildly enough with Bon Jovi's _Living On A Prayer_, but then dissolved into the hauntingly grating vocals of Cradle Of Filth's _No Time To Cry_, the dark ambiance of the song a nearly direct opposite of the one that had preceded it.

As time passed, the cityscape of Osaka faded into quaint countryside, the monochromatic gleam of tall buildings and bustling streets giving way to lush green landscapes that seemed both calming familiar and frighteningly different in the same instance. Her heart began to race as the bus veered left, a tall sign that stood along the rural road announcing that only several miles remained between herself and the village—it arrived within minutes, and it was with looming feelings of deep apprehension that Davina disembarked. She lingered in the minutes that followed the vehicle's departure, trying to acclimate to her surroundings.

Although it had been several years since her last journey to Chihayaakasaka, it didn't appear that much had changed—the bus stop was located within the perimeters of the village's tiny downtown district, which hosted a visitor's center, complete with a gift shop and small café. She could vaguely recall sharing a family dinner there on several occasions, and tried to recall which direction would lead to the Ishihara home—after a minute of consideration, Davina opted to follow the direction as dictated by her memory, hoping she was correct in her thinking as she made her way down the worn cobblestone road. Things seemed familiar enough as she pressed forward, and after walking several blocks, she was rewarded with the distant sight of her late grandparents' house, nestled within a small collective of trees and high growing brush.

Slowly, Davina approached the house, which appeared smaller than she remembered, but painfully familiar all the same. The cobblestones gave way to dirt as she neared the winding walkway that led up into the exterior atrium, and, while the plants that had once been carefully maintained by her deceased grandfather had grown wild without a strict hand to tame them, the Ishihara home remained unchanged. She reached the outdoor entrance hall and paused, eying the wooden door warily. For a minute, she again considered abandoning the task at hand—feelings of raw nostalgia had already begun to well up inside of her, and she had yet to even enter the premises. Perhaps this venture had been a mistake—it seemed almost sacrilegious to push forward, as if she were violating some unspoken degree by daring to search a place that now belonged to those long dead.

Suddenly, Davina felt incredibly foolish—odds are, the door was locked, and she had no means of breaching it. How such a thought hadn't previously occurred to her was an irritating mystery, and yet, here she was, at a loss of how to proceed. In spite of this realization, she tried the knob and was met with the resistance she had feared.

"Fuck," she growled, the word spilling forth from her lips before she could think to stifle it. It seemed as if her efforts had officially come to a dead end—there was little she could do, given the situation—it would probably be best for her to return to Kaiden and forget this madness after all.

Defeated, Davina stepped out of the atrium and found herself staring sullenly out at the yard, trying to come to terms with the roadblock she had just encountered. As she brooded, her gaze fell upon the old bird feeder that stood out amongst the wide expanse of grass—it was nearly as old as she was, beaten by weather and looking worse for wear—her grandmother, who had a soft spot for birds, had always kept it full of seed when she was alive, which caused a wide variety of local wildlife to flock to it for a free meal. It sat empty now, a sullen reminder of great loss.

Staring at the feeder, Davina's mind wandered to the memory of a trip her family had taken to the village just before her grandfather had fallen ill. Their flight had been delayed, and they had arrived to Osaka far later than originally planned. There had been a miscommunication between her mother and her grandparents, who had ventured into the city to meet them at the airport—long story short, they had somehow missed one another in transit, and had arrived in Chihayaakasaka while Eri and Mamoru had remained in Osaka. She recalled how angry her mother had been at the thought of having to wait for them to return—but after the lengthy wait within Denver International followed by an even longer flight into Japan, her irritation was justified. Everyone was frustrated and exhausted, and Davina, who was little more than a child at the time, had to use the bathroom. She could recall the heated conversation her mother had had while on the phone with her grandmother, her tired face screwed up into a massive scowl. Without warning, Mitsuyo had stomped over to the bird feeder, and after a few seconds, had produced a single key from an unseen place—said key had opened the front door of her grandparent's house, and they had been able to enter, dragging their collection of bags inside and quelling the worst of her mother's fury.

_'__Perhaps…'_

Inspired by the memory, Davina made her way over to the abandoned feeder, expecting to be met with disappointment—after all, this had happened years ago, and the odds of the key still living in an accessible place were slim to none. But by some stroke of luck, she came upon it, held against the bottom of the metal plate by means of a small magnet. The key was warm to the touch in her hand, and she stared down at the small metal implement with wonder, momentarily unable to fathom its presence. She returned to the vestibule, and sure enough, it fit into the door just fine, quickly opening the lock that had previously barred her from progressing. Davina pulled open the heavy door just enough to slip inside, and carefully pushed it closed behind her.

Luckily, there was plenty of daylight afforded by the windows, for the electricity running to the house had long been shut off. Everything was just as she remembered, although covered in a thick sheen of dust. It was a daunting sight—Eri's wake would have been the last time the house had hosted any occupants, and while the furniture and bric-a-brac all remained, unmoved and untouched, there was a deeply haunting quality to the empty house that made Davina feel ill at ease. But she pressed onward, making her way through the small living quarters and into the kitchen. If not for the cobwebs and grime, one would have never guessed that the house stood empty of life. She felt as if she were trespassing in some sacred space, one where she was unwelcomed and unwarranted. Now that she was inside, Davina had no idea of where even to begin her search—after some deliberation, she selected her grandparent's bedroom at the far end of the house.

Her surroundings were surreal as she moved through them, like a scene out of some strange horror movie. Her nagging discomfort only grew more intense as she slid open the shoji door into the tiny space that had once served as the private quarters of her predecessors. It was spotlessly tidy, save for the collective of gray dust—even the bed was made. Hesitantly, Davina searched through the small wooden dresser, finding nothing but neatly folded clothing within. She did the same with the single nightstand and desk, coming up empty handed—with all other options exhausted, she turned her attention to the tiny closet, and it was there she came across something that intrigued her—it was a decently sized wooden box, one ornately crafted, with a strange emblem that had been painstakingly burned into the smooth surface by a careful hand. It was hidden away near the back of the minute space, nearly concealed by the clothing that hung from the hangers above it.

With minimal effort, she dug the container out of its holding place and picked it up to study the image—it was of a large tree with many reaching branches, heavy with tiny leaves, and long roots, covering nearly the entire surface of the box. Vaguely, it reminded her of the Tree of Yggdrasil, a well known icon in Norse mythology; it was an icon of life, a symbol that stretched out across the worlds and into the heavens. The detail present in the emblem was striking, and Davina couldn't help but run her fingers across the picture, feeling the subtle indentations in the wood beneath her flesh.

With the box in her hands, she left the closet, and placed it atop the desk, slowly pulling the lid open. What she found interred within was a strange collection of items, among them a tiny, red velvet drawstring pouch, a dog-eared book bound in weathered gray leather, and an odd figurine of a snake, carved from what appeared to be white agate. She reached for the book first, opening it to the first page, where she found an inscription written in her late grandmother's hand.

'_To my great love, Mamoru—may you never forget me, throughout time and distance. Eternally yours, Eri Kurosuna._'

The sight of the name caused a ripple of goose-bumps to form across the flesh of Davina's arms and neck—perhaps this little trip hadn't been a waste of effort, after all. She had never known her grandmother's maiden name—it had simply never come up in conversation. Why had the name caused her mother such concern? Intrigued, Davina flipped to the next page, hoping she could learn more.

It quickly became clear that this book was a diary of sorts, even though the entry read much like a letter—she scoured through the text, failing to realize that she was holding her breath as she read the words written upon the yellowing page.

_'__Dearest Mamoru—I'm counting the days until you return to me. My father says that Taiyen is to be my mate, but I've refused to accept the arrangement. I will never love another as much as I love you. He tells me that it is my duty as his daughter, but I find myself unable to agree, despite the dishonor it will bring upon me. My family will force me into exile for my refusal, I know, but it matters little. Oh, how I long for the days ahead—I hope this message finds you well, and that your venture into the Ningenkai is proving to be a successful one. I can only dream of the day in which you come to take me from Shiroumi and we begin our life together, far from here. Tonight, I'll dream of you, my love. Keep me in your heart, always. Eri.' _

Davina reread the entry, just to be absolutely certain that her eyes hadn't played some sort of strange trick on her. Her heart was beating so rapidly, she could hear her pulse echoing harshly in her ears. She exhaled hard, her lungs having grown tight within the confines of her chest.

'_Ningenkai…_' she wracked her brain for a translation, stumbling over the phrase as she fought to wrap her mind around it. '_World of humans? What the hell…?_'

Frantically, she flipped to the next page, devouring the entry that followed, even as she began to feel as if it had become harder to breath.

_'__Mamoru—I hope you come for me soon, my love. Father has officially announced to the people my impending nuptials to Taiyen. He says that our children will bear the Kurosuna name, since he has no sons left to carry on the family tradition. He tells me that it is a great honor, but I know better—he simply has no other option. I hate to bring him shame, but I cannot fulfill the role he has set for me, no matter the cost. Tonight the current crop of Evala crystal will be harvested from the Aka Ame Sea—I will make sure to take my share to the temple of Mizunara and offer it as tribute in exchange for her blessing. I only hope the goddess will hear my prayers and not turn her back on me for what I intend to do. I hope you are well, my beloved. Even with the great distance that separates us, I draw upon your strength. I carry you in my heart always. Eri.' _

Aflame with curiosity, but overwhelmed with the little she had already read, Davina found herself unable to continue. There was simply too much to process in the moment, and her time that remained was limited—she decided to take the book with her to read more at a later time, figuring that she could always return it during a future venture. Closing the diary, she slipped it into the confines of her bag, then reached for the pouch and loosened the draw string before pouring the contents out into her cupped palm. A collection of gemstones filled her hand, and she recognized them immediately—the alien creature had gifted her one of the very same. She could feel their power, an odd electrical tingle racing down the length of her arm. Davina found herself wondering if these stones were the Evala crystals her grandmother had mentioned with her writing, but had no way to be certain. She returned them to their bag and replaced it within the box, reaching then for the figurine of the snake.

It was cool to the touch and surprisingly heavy for being so small—a pair of tiny crimson jewels served as the snake's eyes, but there was nothing to provide her any true information about the minute statue. On a whim, she flipped it over, finding a pair of kanji carved into the stone base—she recognized the characters immediately; it simply read '_Ishihara_'. After a lingering moment, she returned it to its holding, and closed the box, once again confining it within the closet. Only two rooms remained for her to explore, the guest bedroom and the small den that led out into an enclosed garden. She opted to do the bedroom first, which left her awash with the sense of déjà vu—it was as if she visiting some frozen point in time.

The spare bedroom had a number of framed pictures on the wall, several of them of her younger self alongside her family—they were accompanied by a wedding photograph of Eri and Mamoru, and a single picture of her mother as a child. In the picture, young Mitsuyo, who couldn't have been older than five or six years, was smiling warmly—it was a strange sight, for as an adult, she couldn't recall ever seeing her mother do such a thing—even in the pictures of her marriage to Jason, she wore a stern face. Judging by the look of the photograph, Mitsuyo had been a happy child—what had happened to make her so bitter as she aged was a mystery. There was nothing to be found within the spare bedroom, so Davina made her way into the den. She came across more family photographs, but little else. There was a large bookshelf that took up most of the far wall, but after glancing through the titles she found there, Davina came up empty handed once more.

When she rolled back the door to slip out into the garden, she paused, saddened at the sight that welcomed her. Without her grandfather to care for it, the area had fallen into a state of wild disarray, with the plants housed there either dead or having grown wild and messy. To see what had once been a source of pride dissipate into chaos made her feel the absence of her grandparents quite vividly, and in the end, she couldn't bring herself to step out in the atrium. Sliding the door closed, she knew her time there had come to a close and that it would be best if she headed back into town and caught the next bus home. Judging by what she had already read within Eri's diary, Davina was certain she would be able to decode at least some of the odd text contained within simply by reading further, and she was eager to do so. She left the Ishihara house, replacing the key within its secret place beneath the bird feeder before taking the short walk back into the town square.

Upon her return to the transit stop, Davina realized that she still had a solid half an hour to wait before the bus would appear, and since she was feeling quite thirsty, she opted to venture into the visitor's center and hit up the small café for a drink to pass the time. After downing a glass of water and partaking in a quick snack, she decided it was as good a time as any to respond to Shuichi's previous message. Much to her surprise, he responded almost immediately.

'_I was beginning to worry about you. Glad to find that you're doing well._'

She felt an odd warm gather within her chest as she read his message and quickly typed up a response.

'_Sorry if I made you worry. Just got a little busy with some family stuff._' She decided to keep things vague, knowing that there was no simple way to explain her current situation.

'_No need to explain, that's understandable. Perhaps we can meet up sometime this week?_'

His suggestion prompted her to smile at the thought—it would certainly be nice to see him again, and sooner rather than later.

'_That would be wonderful. What did you have in mind?_'

'_Nothing concrete at the moment, but I'll let you know once I do. I'm heading into work now, so I'll talk to you soon. Have a good evening._'

'_You too. Good luck with work._'

Her bus arrived shortly afterwards, and it was just growing dark by the time Davina climbed the steps to her apartment. A sense of utter relief washed over as she stepped inside, comforted by the familiarity of her own space. Now, within the sanctuary of her personal making, she realized just how truly exhausting her excursion had been—much of the adrenaline that had been fueling her throughout the expanse of her journey had fled from her and now her body felt heavy, every movement requiring energy she didn't seem to have. While she wanted to read more from her grandmother's diary, she opted to wait, knowing that she didn't currently possess the strength to fully delve into its mysterious at the moment. Instead, she knocked out her remaining homework assignments, ate another quick meal, showered and crawled into her bed. She was asleep only minutes after her head met the pillow, and slept the sleep of the dead, her slumber deep and dreamless.

. . .

Shuichi managed to make it through his Tuesday intact, although by the time his classes for the day came to a close, he was feeling rather weary. He still had an evening shift at the Koeda Café to get through, and not particularly looking forward to it. After returning home after a short bike ride, he fixed himself a cup of black tea and left it to steep as he changed into his work uniform and quickly washed his face. He drank his beverage as swiftly as the steaming hot liquid would allow without injury, hoping that the caffeine would provide him a much needed boost of energy. He was perched at the kitchen table, attempting to motivate himself to get up when his phone vibrated, signally the arrival of a text message.

He was both surprised and pleased when he learned that it was from Davina—a simple hello, followed by a brief apology for her failing to respond quicker. Finally hearing from her caused a flood of relief to wash over him—in truth, his concern over her lack of correspondence was prominent, and to learn that she did still harbor intentions of talking to him had him feeling much more optimistic. He conveyed his reprieve, and when she replied with the knowledge that her absence had come as a result of family-related things, he immediately understood. He was quick to request a meet-up with her in the near future, and happy when she agreed without a hint of hesitation—it would be wonderful to see her again, his mind filling with a collective of thoughts that only made that desire stronger. Unfortunately, his free time prior to his work commitment was swiftly dwindling to a close, and he had to cut their conversation short in favor of leaving. But hearing from her, as brief as their chat as it had been, seemed to renew his energy, and he left the house feeling far better than he had on his arrival.

The next morning arrived, and Shuichi rode his bike into the city, making it a point to text Davina the moment he had settled down into his first class. He asked if she'd be willing to meet up with him in the library later on that afternoon, and it didn't take long for her to respond favorably, informing him that she would be there for the period between her second and third classes. It gave him something to look forward to—the only downside was that, as time passed, his anticipation grew, which, in turn, prompted time to move along at a less-than-impressive pace. When his last class of the day finally announced its conclusion, he was among the first wave of students to hit the door, and made it across the quad and over to his destination in record timing.

Knowing that he had a small window of time before Davina would arrive due to the much more considerable distance between the current classroom she was occupying and the library, Shuichi decided on a whim to surprise her with a little pick-me-up. Just after entering the library, he ventured into the coffee shop, ordering her a drink reminiscent of the same one she had enjoyed during their rendezvous at the Secret Garden Café. For himself, he selected a simple black coffee, doctoring it with three sugars and a generous dollop of milk shortly after the pick-up for his order was announced. With their drinks in hand, he made his way over to a vacant table that sat in close proximity to where they had first officially met, near the periodicals. He had been there no more than five minutes before Davina appeared, smiling over at him with a warmth that nearly made him ache—she looked absolutely delighted to see him again, her smile contagious and inspiring his own.

Shuichi offered her the beverage he had procured for her as she approached the table, and her eyes widened considerably at the kind gesture.

"You got me a coffee?" she asked, sounding mildly awed as she accepted the styrofoam cup and fixed him with appreciative stare. "Thank you—that's so sweet." It was obvious that she hadn't anticipated such a thing, and he found immense contentment with himself for the impulse to surprise her.

"Figured you could use one to get through your last class," he offered casually, watching as she slipped into the chair across from him.

"You were certainly right about that," she responded with a soft chuckle. "I really appreciate the thought, Shuichi." She took a hearty sip of her drink, following it with a sigh of contentment. "Between getting to see you and unanticipated caffeine, I think it's safe to say that you've made my day."

Her words resonated deep within him—to know that his company brought her pleasure only added to the feelings of self satisfaction he was entertaining. "So, how have you been these past few days?"

"About the same as always—bouncing between work, school, and my family," he replied, reaching for his own beverage. "Luckily, I don't have work tonight, but there is an exam this coming Friday that I need to study for."

"I know the feeling," she offered with a gentle sigh. "I'm in the same boat. Luckily, it's only sociology, so it shouldn't be too difficult."

"I'm sure you'll do well. Is it for Professor Kintaro's class?"

"It is."

"Well, if you're interested, I still have all of my notes from when I took his course. I'd be more than happy to share them with you—not to say that your own notes won't be ample enough," he tacked on quickly, afraid she might take his offer as an insult.

"That would be much appreciated, actually," she retorted, suddenly looking a bit sheepish. "If I'm being honest, I've been somewhat lax in taking notes for his lectures. I've…had other things on my mind when I should have been paying attention, so it certainly wouldn't hurt."

"If it's acceptable, I can run them by your apartment later this evening," he suggested, and for a brief moment, she seemed to consider this.

"That would be fine—if you'd like, you can stick around and study at my place…only if you want to," she replied quietly. It was an innocent proposition, but one that weighed heavily on Shuichi's mind—she was inviting him into her personal space, and to have the chance to interact with her in such privacy made his brain think of doing things that were far more interesting than studying. He shooed those lecherous thoughts away, but they refused to vanish completely in spite of his efforts.

After a lingering moment of hesitation that was spent silently arguing with himself, Shuichi decided that, despite knowing that it would be somewhat harder for him to maintain his concentration to study while in her presence, he wanted to take her up on the offer. He found himself caring little about the repercussions, knowing full well that he could tackle the test without studying and still find success, if it came down to it. To pass up such an opportunity would be foolish, and Shuichi was no fool—it could very well open doors for future interactions, and he didn't want to let such a chance pass him by.

"I'd like that," he responded, nodding his head in agreement. "I can meet you later this evening, if that works for you."

"I'll text you once I'm home," she replied, and for a brief second, Shuichi swore he could hear excitement in her tone. He opened his mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by Kazuma's familiar tone injecting from afar.

"Hey guys!" came the loud greeting, followed by Kuwabara's rapid approach, a smile on his face as he made his way over to the table in which they sat.

"Hey, Kazuma," Davina said with a small smile—much to his surprise, the growl of protest that echoed within Shuichi at the turn of her attention was a far gentler one then the ones that had occurred prior. Perhaps whatever previous possessiveness that had overwhelmed him before had eased up with the realization that she desired now him, at least in some capacity, as evidenced from their prior interactions. It came as a relief, to say the least. He greeted his friend with a small nod, and Kuwabara claimed a seat for himself.

"I'm glad I ran into you guys," he said, his urgent tone prompting Shuichi to quirk a curious eyebrow. "I wanted to know if you were free Saturday—Yukina will be in town, and I was thinkin' that we all could hang out. Whaddya say?" He looked hopeful, the excitement at the prospect of seeing his beloved clear across his face.

"I'm working a morning shift on Saturday, but I'll be free by early afternoon," Shuichi replied, finding his friend's eagerness to be almost endearing. "I'd be happy to join you. It'll be nice to see her."

"Awesome! " Kazuma exclaimed happily, pumping his fist into the air in a gesture of victory. "What about you, Davi? You in?"

"Are you sure you want me to tag along?" she asked softly, sounding almost unsure. It was as if she hadn't expected to be included, but Kuwabara shrugged off her uncertainty without a moment's hesitation.

"Of course! The more, the merrier! I'm thinkin' that we can all grab lunch, maybe hit the arcade. C'mon, it'll be fun. You'll get to meet everybody, and I know they're gonna like you. So, whaddya say?"

"Sounds like a plan," she responded with an engaging smile, despite the anxious look that had suddenly appeared behind her eyes. If Kazuma noticed, he did not comment on it—Shuichi, on the other hand, couldn't help but pick up on her mild discomfort almost immediately. He assumed her apprehension was simply abloom at the thought of meeting new people—she did come across as fairly introverted, but at the same time, the desire to make friends was there, lurking beneath the unsure surface. He believed that once she got past her initial nervousness, she would fare just fine.

"Sweet! This is gonna be great! I'll text you guys once I got the details all worked out. I've gotta go hunt down a book for my advanced chemistry class, got a paper I gotta get started on. Is it cool if I leave my stuff here for a bit?"

"Of course," Shuichi replied—Kuwabara unloaded his bag and wandered off to go search for the book he required, shooting them a wave of thanks prior to taking his leave.

"Well, that was interesting," Davina commented casually, her statement reclaiming her companion's attention.

"That's Kuwabara for you," he responded lightly, shaking his head while smiling mildly. "He means well, but he can certainly be a little overzealous at times. "I suppose he's just excited—it has been some time since he last got to see Yukina."

"It was nice of him to invite me—I certainly wasn't expecting it."

"He's fond of you—and I do believe he's right in thinking you'll get along fine with everyone," he replied, sensing that she needed some sense of encouragement by her tone. While Shuichi was already looking forward to the meet up, his mind started to think of the precautions that had to be taken—he made a mental note to shoot Yusuke a text, knowing full well his proclivity to slip up and use the name of his other self, hoping that by providing his friend a warning that an unfamiliar party would be joining their ranks, he would be more diligent. It would be the very first time Shuichi had brought a relative outsider into the fold, and truthfully, the idea of it had him feeling somewhat anxious.

The time that followed suit passed by swiftly—Kazuma rejoined them after a short while, and the trio conversed among themselves and worked on their various assignments until such a time came around that Davina had to leave to attend her final class of the day. She offered her goodbyes, reminding Shuichi of her intentions to text him about their impending meet up later, and made her egress, waving to them before she found her way over to the exit. Together, the boys watched her walk away, Shuichi's gaze drawn to the delicious curve of her buttocks as if by instinct. He felt himself involuntarily lick his lips, his thoughts venturing to carnal intentions if only for a brief second before they were interrupted by Kuwabara's voice.

"So, you and Davi, huh?" Kazuma said with a wide smile.

"We're simply friends, Kuwabara," Shuichi reminded him sternly, although he had to fight to suppress a smile.

"She likes you," he replied bluntly, fixing his companion with a pointed stare. "Are you gonna ask her out?"

"We're still getting to know each other."

"But you like her, don't ya?"

Shuichi considered this question for a long moment, and then nodded his head in affirmation.

"Yes, but I'm not rushing into anything."

Kazuma's grin widened even further, giving him an almost comical appearance.

"Told ya you'd land another hottie," he joked, his statement causing Shuichi to sigh.

"Don't you have a paper to write?" he retorted, despite the knowing smirk that perched across his lips.

*Author's Note: Thank you to livesinasong13 for your add to favorites. Apologizes for the brief delay, this chapter took me a bit longer to write than I had anticipated. The next one is in progress, so keep an eye out for it soon. Thanks for reading, everyone!


	11. Chapter 11 - Forget The Unforgettable

Davina's final class of the day moved with a swiftness she had not anticipated—during the period, she found herself steadily growing more and more anxious about Shuichi's impending visit to her apartment. Perhaps her impulse to invite him over had been premature, even if it was only to study. He would enter the premises as her first official visitor—as excited as she was to have him all to herself, the idea made her nervous. There were a million things she could say or do to make a mess of things, and her brain, always a glutton for punishment, touched on a wide variety of them during time that should have been spent paying attention. Perhaps her mother was right—he was a distraction, and that could easily prove detrimental to her studies. Despite this, she wasn't willing to reconsider or rescind her offer—she would simply have to find balance in entertaining both. It might take a brief period of adjustment, but she would manage. It was worth the effort to keep his company.

It was a good thing he was willing to share his notes with her, for she failed to take more than two paragraphs worth during this final class that preceded her examination—while she was fairly confident she would do fine even without his assistance, given that the subject of sociology wasn't a particularly difficult one, she was grateful for it. A refresher certainly wouldn't hurt—she only hoped she'd be capable of paying the necessary amount of attention to the notes needed to retain the knowledge for the impending test. To know that he would be existing in close proximity with the added factor of privacy they had yet to really be afforded would no doubt inspire her to consider engaging in things other than studying, and those unspoken urges were things she would have to willfully ignore, despite the pressing urge to entertain them.

When class was finally dismissed, Davina immediately headed home—she quickly scoured her apartment, making sure everything was tidy, and then took a quick shower, changing into a comfortable pair of dark gray leggings and an oversized black sweater that exposed the cusps of her shoulders. To appear somewhat prepared, she collected the notebook containing her own notes and her sociology textbook and placed them upon the coffee table. She brushed out her lengthy copper hair and pulled it into a messy bun, and then quickly scrutinized her face in the washroom mirror, finding it acceptable. On a whim, she lit some candles, the potently sweet and spicy aroma of apples and cinnamon slowly flooding the living room.

Taking a deep breath to collect herself, Davina located her phone and sent Shuichi a brief message, announcing that he could head over whenever he was ready to do so. No return message appeared, which caused her to wonder if he would even appear—but less than twenty minutes later, a firm knock at her door echoed throughout the small space of her apartment, announcing her companion's arrival.

Slowly, she made her way over to the door, opening it to reveal Shuichi's presence. His bag hung from his shoulder, and in his arm, he cradled a wide purple binder. He smiled down at her disarmingly, fixing her with a casual greeting, which she quickly returned, then stepped back to permit him entrance. Once he had crossed the threshold, she pulled the door closed behind him, and with him in tow, the pair headed into the living area and perched upon the couch.

"Here you are," he said, offering her the binder, which was heavy with the weight of the paper it contained. Davina accepted the item and flipped open the cover to reveal pages upon pages of detailed notes, all carefully recorded in his neat handwriting. Upon a quick scrutiny, she realized that they perfectly matched her current class curriculum and sighed with relief.

"You're a lifesaver," she offered with an appreciative smile.

"Happy to help," Shuichi replied, appearing rather pleased with her accolades. He reached for his bag and withdrew his advanced chemistry textbook, along with a spiral notebook, and placed them down on the coffee table alongside Davina's materials.

"Before we jump in, did you want something to drink?" she asked softly, reminding herself to play a proper hostess and see to her guest's needs. "Coffee? Tea? Water?"

"A tea would be wonderful."

"Black, green, or chai?"

"Surprise me."

Davina nodded and rose to her feet, placing the binder down before heading over to the small kitchen. She withdrew two mugs from the overhead cabinet and turned the coffee maker on to make hot water as she liberated two chai tea bags from their shelf and placed them in their respective cups. Once the water was prepared, she generously filled the vessels, allowing them time to steep as she returned to the living room and reclaimed Shuichi's binder, flipping through the pages until she came upon the notes she would need. Her companion was already engrossed in his efforts, comparing the information he had personally collected to that offered by the book, his eyes racing over the pages with impressive speed. He didn't even look up from his work when she returned back to the kitchen to claim their tea, and Davina had to clear her throat to glean his attention as she came back and held out his mug for him to take.

"Thank you," he offered in turn, shooting her a grateful smile before returning to his notes. Davina reclaimed her spot on the couch and delved into her own studying. The better part of the next hour was had in comfortable silence as the pair concentrated on the task at hand—the information Shuichi had provided proved to be quite useful, easily providing the knowledge she needed to fulfill the voids within her own collective. Davina was feeling quite confident now, her familiarity with the content assuring that she would earn a high grade on her impending examination. A soft growl echoed forth from her belly, announcing to the world that she was starting to get hungry. Shuichi was still absorbed in his books—she decided that it couldn't hurt to fix a quick meal for them, moving quietly as not to distract him.

Returning to the kitchen, Davina got to work, deciding on making something simple—she opted for a vegetable stir fry, accompanied by some udon noodles and pan seared chicken. In the half an hour it took her to prepare their meal, Shuichi did not stir, moving only to turn a page or cross reference his notes. Once the food was ready, she approached him slowly, reaching out to lightly touch his shoulder—the subtle contact startled him out of his study induced trance, and as if by some deeply buried instinct, he lashed out to seize her wrist with his hand, squeezing her with surprisingly firmness. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips, prompting him to immediately drop the iron clad hold he had on her.

"My apologies," he said quietly, looking both contrite and concerned in the same instant.

Davina swallowed hard, trying to shake off the shock that had been born of his swift and concise movement—he moved as if he had been anticipating an attack. The realization prompted questions, all of which she knew better than to ask. Instead, she fixed him with a small smile in an attempt to diffuse the situation, hoping to diminish the sudden tension that had blossomed.

"No worries," she offered, her voice laden with a calmness that did not match her internal feelings. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, but I made some dinner, in case you're hungry."

"Actually, I am quite famished," Shuichi admitted, sounding somewhat sheepish. "That was kind of you to go through the trouble of cooking…"

"No trouble at all," Davina replied, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Why don't you take a little break and grab a bite to eat?"

As if on cue, a soft growl echoed forth from Shuichi's belly, causing Davina to chuckle.

"I do believe that I will," he responded, smiling at her mild mirth. Shuichi placed his materials atop the coffee table and rose to his feet, stepping over into the kitchen. He eyed the spread of food with obvious pleasure, grabbing an empty plate from the counter and fixing himself a generous helping. "This looks wonderful, Davi. Thank you."

She felt her cheeks grow warm at his praise, her smile widening. "It's nothing amazing, trust me." She began to fix her own plate as he relocated to the tiny dining table that sat abreast of the kitchen, and waited for her to join him. They began to eat, and after a few bites, Shuichi smiled over at her appreciatively.

"It's delicious," he offered, claiming another mouthful of chicken with his chopsticks.

"I'm glad you think so," she replied, feeling her face become heated once more, even as her gaze fell onto the food in front of her. In truth, she took pride in her cooking—she had learned from an early age, and her skills had only improved with time. Her father liked to say that the way to a man's heart was undeniably through his stomach—it was a timeless adage that seemed to be fairly accurate. However, she hadn't learned how to cook out of the need to impress anyone, but rather, to be capable of surviving on her own. Her abilities had certainly proven to be useful—she couldn't flirt to save her life, but she could prepare one hell of a damn decent meal.

The rest of their supper was had in pleasant silence, until both parties were delightfully full. Shuichi had cleaned his plate, and had even gone back for seconds—she had cooked plenty, and there was still enough remaining to fill a small container to serve as leftovers for later.

Having eaten his fill, Shuichi sat back in his chair with a sigh of contentment. Davina rose to her feet and collected the empty plates, placing the dirty dishes in the sink before packing away the remaining food. She had just placed the container within the fridge when she heard the water being turned on in the sink, and turned to glance over her shoulder curiously. Shuichi stood there at the counter, making ready to wash the soiled dishes.

"You don't have to do that," she protested, only to be met with a stern stare.

"You were nice enough to cook," he argued mildly. "In the very least, I can clean the dishes for you."

"But you're my guest," she retorted, despite being more than happy at having the chore taken off of her hands. She hated washing dishes, almost as much as she hated folding laundry—she would often get scolded as a child for keeping a basket filled with clean clothing within her room and picking out the articles she needed when dressing, rather than folding or hanging them and putting them in their respective homes. It was a habit that had irked her mother endlessly, and while Davina had overcome it as an adult, she was still loath to complete the chore when it came around. Back at her home in Denver, doing the dishes simply meant rinsing them and loading them into the dishwasher, but here in her small apartment, there wasn't the luxury of one. But she had to protest, if only to remain courteous.

"And as your guest, I would like to do the dishes," he replied firmly, leaving no room for further discussion. Davina conceded with a sigh, smiling in spite of herself.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome—you should go get a bit more studying done while I clean up."

"Honestly, I think I'm good—your notes were quite helpful."

"Glad to hear it. I'm nearly done myself. Just have two more sections to touch up on—I'll finish up when I'm done with this."

She nodded her agreement, and then returned to the living room, where she closed up his binder and returned her own books to their respective places. In an effort to find something to do in order to pass the time, Davina decided to revisit her grandmother's diary—she had been putting it off for long enough, and her curiosity still prodded at her. Withdrawing it from the confines of her bag, she turned to the next entry and began to read, her eyes devouring the strange text as penned in her late grandmother's quaint handwriting.

. . .

When Shuichi received the correspondence from Davina that he had been eagerly anticipating, he quickly gathered up the things he would need, abandoning the efforts he was already making in studying in order to make the venture over to her apartment. He took his time, not bothering to reply to her invitation as he repacked his school bag and placed the binder he had offered to bring for her atop it, lest he forget. After quickly freshening up, Shuichi hit the door, slowly making his way through the mere block or so that separated them. He climbed the stairs to the second floor of her building and fixed her door with a firm knock to announce his arrival, the purple binder containing his old sociology notes carried within the nook of his arm.

Several seconds later, the door swung open to reveal his companion, and he couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips at the sight of her. She looked comfortable in her current wares, her russet hair pulled back in a loose tie, with several wayward locks falling free to frame her face in an endearing manner.

"Hello," he said quietly, meeting her eyes as she returned his greeting, then took a short step back to allow him to enter her apartment. He moved inside, walking past her to slip off his shoes in the tiled foyer, taking in the sights and smells of these new surroundings. Hers was a small space, but clean and inviting—the faint smell of apples and cinnamon lingered in the air, a scent he found pleasant and inhaled deeply with appreciation. Shuichi allowed her to take the lead after she closed the door, and followed her into the living room, which was little more of a space than his bedroom, and furnished simply with a gray couch, low rise black coffee table, a trio of short, matching bookshelves, heavy with a collection of novels, and a mid-sized flat screen television that was perched atop them. The materials she needed in order to study were already laid out on the coffee table—they claimed the couch, and Shuichi held out his binder for to her take.

"Here you are," he announced, watching as she accepted the heavy article and began to peruse it, a large sigh of reprieve escaping Davina's lips upon her realization of how thorough his notes were.

She fixed him with a wide smile of gratitude, relief clear across her diminutive features. "You're a lifesaver."

"Happy to help," he offered with satisfaction as he reached inside his bag to withdraw his own books and added them to the surface of the coffee table. She offered him a drink, and he eagerly accepted, watching subtly from the corner of his eye as she ventured into the tiny kitchenette that stood just alongside the far end of the living area—he began to look through the pages of his notes as Davina prepared their beverages, quickly loosing himself in the consumption of information. It was only the minute sound of her clearing her throat several minutes later that gleaned his attention, and he accepted the steaming mug she held out to him with a small smile of appreciation, thanking her for the kindness. She returned to her previous position on the couch and took up the binder to begin her own efforts to study. Shuichi relocated his previous spot, and picked up from where he had left off without hesitation.

Time passed in a rapid manner as their read their respective texts—Shuichi's mind devoured the information provided by his notes, finding that he recalled nearly everything he would need for his impending examination with ease. In truth, he hardly needed to study at all, as his memory was nearly unprecedented and he had no trouble at all in retaining such knowledge. But it was a habit, one ingrained within him from a very young age during his span as a human, and he knew he had to maintain appearances, in the very least. At some point, he vaguely noted Davina leaving their shared space, but thought nothing of it. A little while later, a subtle, but delicious aroma flooded the apartment—it was because of this smell that Shuichi realized he was starting to get hungry, but he ignored the urge, moving onward to the next page of notes that contained in-depth formulas for specific calculations.

He failed to hear Davina as she approached him on nimble feet, and when he felt a hand touch the curve of his shoulder, he lashed out in surprise, grabbing the wrist of the unseen entity and squeezing it harshly, prepared to break the bones of his unanticipated attacker. Only when a pained gasp of surprise reached his ears did Shuichi immediately release his steely grip, his eyes swiftly moving upwards and meeting her own. The look of utter shock on her face, coupled with the stern press of her lips prompted concern—for a split second, Davina appeared terrified, a realization that made him feel awful. He hadn't intended to frighten her—his reaction had simply been one born of deeply seated instinct. Given who and what he was, one could never be too cautious.

"My apologies," he said softly, desperately wanting the fear that had blossomed behind her eyes in that instance to dissipate. He overheard the sound of her swallowing hard, as if she were attempting to gather her faculties.

"No worries," she replied calmly, but Shuichi knew that her statement lacked sincerity. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, but I made some dinner, in case you're hungry." Her unanticipated offer of sustenance surprised him, prompting him to quirk a curious brow in her direction.

"Actually, I am quite famished," he responded, opting to overlook the moment of sheer awkwardness he had caused in favor of moving on in a more pleasant direction. "That was kind of you to go through the trouble of cooking…"

"No trouble at all—why don't you take a little break and grab a bite to eat?"

As if summoned by the idea of food, Shuichi's stomach let out a tiny groan—the noise caused Davina to laugh softly, and Shuichi couldn't help but smile, realizing that their previous moment of tension had been forgiven.

"I do believe that I will," he said, returning his books to the coffee table before rising to his feet and making his way over into the small kitchen. He eyed the small spread of food with curiosity, eagerly claiming an empty plate and covering it with an impressive amount. It was a simple meal of stir fried vegetables, chicken, and noodles, but the looks and aroma of it had his mouth watering with anticipation. "This looks wonderful, Davi. Thank you."

"It's nothing amazing, trust me," she replied, but the sound of pleasure in her voice was unmistakable. She moved to make herself a plate as Shuichi ventured over to the tiny dining table that sat along the wall at the opposite side of the kitchen, claiming a spot for himself but waiting for her to join him before digging in. When she approached, they began to eat—much to Shuichi's satisfaction, it was scrumptious—the fact that she knew how to cook only served to further impress him. It had come as a shock to discover that many of the females he had been involved with prior were not skilled in the kitchen—it seemed strange to him, for he had learned how to cook alongside his mother from a very young age, and it was such a necessary ability when it came to one's own independence.

Shuichi had never understood the excuses given over the matter, either—it wasn't difficult to follow a recipe, especially when the step-by-step instructions were provided. He was aware that certain exceptions did exist—there were people who couldn't boil water without burning down the kitchen, but they were far and few in between. What he had gleaned from such a thing was that these women expected to have someone to wait on them, to provide everything they needed without putting in an equal amount of effort. Spoiled, was the term his mother had used, on more than one occasion, and it was safe to say that she wasn't wrong in her thinking.

"It's delicious," Shuichi announced after swallowing another bite, and delving back in to claim another morsel with his utensils. His belly had thankfully grown quiet, content with his current position.

"I'm glad you think so," Davina replied, her pale cheeks suddenly growing a soft shade of pink.

The remainder of their meal took place in comfortable quiet. Shuichi was happily full by the time he conceded, resting his chopsticks atop his empty plate after he had returned to grab a secondary helping. He relaxed back in his chair, sighing happily. Davina rose to tend to the kitchen, snatching up their soiled plates and placing them within the sink before turning her attention to securing the food that remained. While she did this, Shuichi left his seat and ventured over to the sink to take care of the dishes. It was a force of habit, really—he felt that the person who had cooked the meal shouldn't have to deal with the dirty dishes that followed. There were plenty of nights where he had to see to the completion of both tasks due to the late hours of both his mother and stepfather's work schedules, but on the evening where one or even both of them were at home, the division of duties held true.

Shuichi reached for the sponge, pouring a generous amount of soap onto the surface before holding it beneath the rushing water to produce plenty of suds. He was reaching for the first pan when Davina interrupted his efforts.

"You don't have to do that," she announced, sounding almost embarrassed. He shot her a hard stare, ignoring her decree of protest as he began to scrub.

"You were nice enough to cook—in the very least, I can clean the dishes for you," he offered in a stern tone.

"But you're my guest," she sputtered sheepishly.

"And as your guest, I would like to do the dishes," he retorted, and heard her sigh in defeat, internally smiling at his small victory.

"Thank you," she said plainly, sounding strangely relieved.

"You're welcome—you should go get a bit more studying done while I clean up," he instructed, placing the now clean pan within the empty dish drainer and reaching for the pot.

"Honestly, I think I'm good—your notes were quite helpful."

He was satisfied with her statement, and content with himself for holding onto the old notes that he should have long discarded. He hadn't expected them to come in handy once he had completed the course, but they certainly had.

"Glad to hear it. I'm nearly done myself. Just have two more sections to touch up on—I'll finish up when I'm done with this," he replied, dropping the sponge into the sink as he raised the pot up to the water to rinse away the soap. After a brief moment, he heard her return to the living room, feeling her presence lessen as she put distance between them. He turned his full attention onto the task at hand, and, in just about ten minutes time, he finished up the dishes, even going as far as to wipe down the counters and the dining table before returning to the couch.

As Shuichi approached, he noticed that Davina was enthralled with the strange book she was currently reading from—it was covered in worn gray leather, and looked more like an old journal than a novel or school book. There was an odd tang that wafted forth from its yellowing pages as she flipped forth to read another excerpt, her eyes drifting across the page without the realization that he was near. It was a scent he somehow recognized, but couldn't quite place—it was incredibly faint, and Shuichi doubted he would have noticed it at all if it hadn't been for his complex sense of smell. It certainly piqued his curiosity—he sat down beside her on the couch, the movement of his entrance failing to rouse her attention.

"What's that you're reading?" he questioned, unable to stop himself. The sound of his voice brought her back to their reality, and Davina tore her eyes away from the page, meeting his gaze suddenly. She appeared almost startled, as if she had momentarily lost herself in whatever it was she was reading.

"Oh, this?" she replied quickly—there was something odd in her tone, as if she had been caught doing something questionable. "It's a…well, it's my grandmother's diary."

His brow rose at her answer, a number of questions coming to the forefront of his mind. She immediately noticed his quizzical look, and sighed softly, realizing how odd such an admission sounded.

"I know this sounds weird, but long story short, I…erm…found something strange a few weeks ago, and I paid a visit to my grandparent's old home in the village of Chihayaakasaka to see if I could find out more about it," she offered vaguely. Something in her voice didn't sit well with Shuichi—it almost sounded like a lie, as if the truth were beyond his understanding and she was embarrassed to relate the entire idea to him. He couldn't very well ask the blunt inquiries that had formed within his mind, so he opted to keep things lighthearted.

"Was it a nice visit? When was the last time you were able to visit them?" he asked mildly.

She hesitated, appearing as if she were trying to formulate a careful response.

"It wasn't a visit, per say," she replied cautiously, looking almost uncomfortable. "My grandparents have been dead for a while now. But what I found made me have questions, and I went there to see if I could find any answers. I came across this journal, and decided to bring it home with me."

"What exactly did you find?" he questioned, unable to further stifle himself. This situation was taking an odd turn, and Shuichi found himself growing more and more on edge. She was tentative about making direct eye contact with him now, which only worsened the feelings of apprehension he was experiencing.

"A gemstone," she offered, and this time, her voice rang true. "My mother has a similar one in a pendant. She called me the other night, but went I asked her about it, she stonewalled me—for the most part. She did tell me that it had been a gift from her mother, and I was curious to see if I could learn more about it."

"And did you?"

"Not yet—but I'm hoping that, by reading these entries, I'll find something about it," Davina admitted, glancing over at the diary in her hand. "It's admittedly very eccentric—they read like love letters, from my grandmother to my grandfather, like they were apart for a long time…I'm sorry, I know it all sounds strange."

Shuichi considered this, and nodded his head in agreement.

"That it does—did you keep the stone you found?"

"No," she replied, almost too quickly, and at once, Shuichi knew it was a lie. Why she felt the need to hide the truth from him, he didn't comprehend, but the fact that she would purposely omit genuineness stung. He hadn't expected this from her, and the realization that she had forgone honesty in his presence made him want to immediately leave her company.

"Well, I do hope you find what you're looking for," he responded curtly, his words dressed in ice. The sudden alteration of his tone prompted her to meet his stare, and he could see the obvious distress written across her face. But he found himself short of caring about her feelings in that moment—he had no use for liars, and the disappointment he felt at learning she was capable of such a thing wounded him. "Well, perhaps it's time I headed home. I can finish my studying there. Thank you for the meal."

"Shuichi," she said, her tone suddenly shrill. It was safe to say that she had picked up on his change in attitude, and realized the direness caused by her verbal actions. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Blatantly lie to me?" he retorted, his words laced with venom. She recoiled at his brazen statement, her lips pressed into a tight frown.

"It's just…the truth is so bizarre, I'm afraid you'll think I'm insane," she admitted, the hurt clear in her voice.

"I'd rather deal with madness than lies," he replied curtly, still innately inquisitive despite his righteous anger.

"Fine," she retorted, her wounded tone giving away to a fierceness that surprised him. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Words began pouring forth from her in droves—she told him everything, about the strange creature that had emerged from the lake that day in the gardens, the odd stone it had gifted her, the following conversation with her mother, and her subsequent trip to her grandparent's village. As the story progressed, she grew more and more frantic—involuntarily tears even started to gather at the corners of her eyes as she spoke. Shuichi listened with a frank ear, feeling mildly overwhelmed at the tale as she told it. It was glaringly obvious that she had been holding everything in for a while, and that it had been a heavy burden to bear. But things were starting to become clearer—she had, in fact, been contacted by a demon, that much was clear, and it had frightened her down to her very core. It was that realization that caused the anger he was entertaining towards her to quickly abate—he felt awful for lashing out at her the way he had, but he certainly hadn't anticipated this.

Do you see now why I didn't want to tell you?" she nearly gasped, her voice heavy with unshed tears. "It sounds fucking insane." Her hands were clasped tightly together, as if she were trying to keep herself from falling apart. On impulse, he reached out to wrap an arm around her, knowing that she needed comfort. She eagerly accepted this contact, burying her face into the warmth of his shoulder. She sniffled, but managed to hold her tears in. Shuichi's mind attempted to process everything she had just shared with him as he held her—his thoughts trailed to the strange dream he had previously had of her, and wondered if it was more relevant than he had first believed. Regardless, this was not the time to consider such things.

"It's okay, Davi," he offered softly, reaching over with his free hand to stroke the back of her head. "You're absolutely right, it does sound crazy, but perhaps it is not."

"What do you mean?" she questioned, her voice still wary. Her words were muffled, her lips still pressed against the clothing that covered his shoulder.

"There have been similar instances such as the one you've experienced in Kaiden over the past few years," he said carefully. Shuichi knew he had to select his words with care, lest he reveal things better kept secret. "And whatever the creature's intentions were, it doesn't sound like it meant to do you harm, so I'd say you don't have a reason to worry. Perhaps it's best to just forget that it happened and move on."

She remained silent for a long moment, her breathing soft and shallow. He could hear the echo of her rapid heartbeat pounding, and her usually pleasant scent was heavy with fear and uncertainty.

"I don't know if I can do that," she replied, sounding unsteady. "How can someone just forget such a thing?" A short laugh that bordered on mild hysteria escaped her then.

An idea began to form within Shuichi's mind—he was hesitant to consider such a thing, but in weighing the options, it felt as if it were the best thing to do in light of what he had just learned. Some way, somehow, Davina bore connections with the world of apparitions. Despite the hard won peace that now existed between the realms, it could still very well mean danger for her—after all, there were a great many demons who had not taken kindly to the previous ruler's decree of no mischief. Odds were that those who opposed it before had only grown more resentful when Hiei, as the new king, had decided to kept the law in place. It was obvious from her reaction that, despite her inquisitiveness over the matter, she was terrified, and truly, she had every right to be so. While he too was curious, Shuichi believed that it was truly in her benefit to forget all that she had learned—but first, he had to remove the physical evidence to prevent further turmoil.

"Do you have the stone?" he asked softly. Davina pulled away from his shoulder nodded her head.

"Can I see it?"

Moving sluggishly, she removed herself from the couch and ventured into her bedroom, returning a minute later with a small jewelry box and a sketchbook. She quickly handed him the box, which he popped open, revealing the stone in question. He eyed it curiously—the energy that echoed forth from it was undeniably of the Demon World. Before he could speak, she then handed him the sketchbook, turned to a page that depicted the alien creature she had described to him, drawn in explicit detail.

"Is that the creature you saw?" he asked, to which she nodded as she sat back down. He recognized it at once—it was a common apparition known as an Aoiashi—they were low class demons native to the coastal provinces of the Makai, who often served as underlings to the noble families who lived there. Shuichi found himself impressed with the preciseness of which she had rendered the image—there was no mistaking the unnamed creature's identity. "And it was in Yureihana Park that you encountered it, correct?"

Again, Davina nodded. All presence of tears had since vanished, but there was an exhaustion in her demure face that nearly pained him to witness. It only further solidified the idea that what he planned to do was truly a necessity, for her sake. Once more, he wrapped his arm about her, pulling her in close. She conceded to the gesture without hesitation, returning her face to the warmth of his shoulder and sighing deeply. He felt disappointed that what could be considered as their first sort of truly intimate, voluntary contact was a byproduct of her distress, but found solace in knowing that it was a fleeting moment and he would be granted a do-over of sorts in the future—and when that time came, Shuichi would make sure that it was a moment born of pleasure and not misery.

Utilizing his free arm, he reached up into the fine hairs at the very base of his neck, plucking a tiny seed nestled among the locks. It was a habit to keep a few of these particular seeds available, even with his relatively recent desire to live life purely as a human. Their presence alone was a safety net of sorts, and Shuichi had found himself unable to relinquish the desire to carry them, knowing that there would come a day where he would be grateful to have them on hand. It had been years since he had last found a need for their use, and that had only been to spare his classmate, Maya Kitajima, from a horde of memories best forgotten, including all those she carried of him.

However, this time, Shuichi would only be erasing those memories that centered around Davina's otherworldly discoveries—he couldn't bring himself to remove himself entirely from Davina's mind. He truly was fond of her, and wasn't keen to give her up, all potential risks be damned. He had forgone a chance at happiness once before, and he found that he wasn't willing to do so again. But he was a far cry from the young boy he had been in the past—he could protect those he cared about now, even if it meant potentially sacrificing certain ideals.

There was also an undeniable element of selfishness to this plot that Shuichi was loath to admit, even as it glared him directly. He couldn't very well maintain his hard won human façade if he was involved with a partner with prospective ties to the world from which had first given him life. If he stole these memories she carried, there would be no threat that he couldn't keep her safe from, no need to expose his true self or revisit that concept of which he was so desperate to bury.

"I'm sorry I lied to you," Davina suddenly said, her voice muffled against him. "And I'm sorry for putting such a damper on our evening…" Her voice nearly cracked then, and Shuichi reached out to stroke the side of her face with the hand nearest to her.

"No need to worry," he consoled her, his voice soothing. He grew quiet as he focused his energy, feeding it into the seed, allowing just enough that a tiny bulb, no bigger than the head of pin, emerged from the shell. For Maya, he had used an entire flower, but for Davina, much less of the Fuzai Kioku was required. "I think you need to rest, Davi. Get some sleep. I'm sure you'll feel better by tomorrow." With a burst of strength, Shuichi crushed the blossoming seedling between his index finger and thumb, the force of the movement sending out a collection of invisible spores to fill the surrounding air. Carefully, he withdrew his arm to free her face, watching as she took a deep breath, inhaling the spores deep into the confines of her lungs—in a short time, they would travel to her brain and eat away at the memories that haunted her until they were voided. By inflicting his energy into the minute particles, they took on his will—the rest of her memories would remain intact, untouched by his manipulation. He rubbed his fingers together, turning what remained of his seed into dust before wiping his hand clean on his pants.

"Maybe you're right," she replied, uncertainty still hanging off of her words. Davina yawned loudly then, and judging by the sleepy look to her eyes, his plot was already taking effect. "Maybe I just need to…" her words trailed off as deep slumber laid its claim on her. Shuichi lingered for a long moment, waiting for her breathing to even out as she slumped heavily against the back of the couch. Once he deemed it safe, he carefully maneuvered her into a horizontal position, slowly lowering her head down onto the cushioned arm. He rose to his feet, finding a purple throw blanket stashed away within a basket that sat beneath the coffee table and unfolding it, draping it across her body. Snatching up the stone, he grabbed her grandmother's diary and stashed both items within the confines of his school bag, alongside his binders and textbook. Lastly, he carefully tore the drawing of the Aoiashi out of her sketchbook, crumpling it into a tight ball and stuffing that into his bag as well.

Unsure of just where the sketchbook and jewelry box hailed from, Shuichi snuck into her bedroom to replace the items, relieved to find the bottom drawer of her dresser hanging open. It was empty, but by the looks of things, it was where she had kept the tiny container, so he replaced it and slowly pushed the drawer into place. The sketchbook he placed atop her desk, just shy of where her laptop sat. For good measure, he placed a pencil bag filled with drawing utensils atop the book to give the appearance of it having been untouched. Satisfied with his efforts, he returned to the living room—Davina was resting well, having nestled comfortably into the arm of the couch and snuggled down within the warmth of the oversized blanket.

Content with the knowledge that she would awaken the next morning with nothing to trigger the memories he had stolen from her, Shuichi grabbed his bag and pulled it over his shoulder, taking a moment to blow out the handful of lit candles that were still burning within the living room. He slipped into his shoes, and took his leave of her apartment, moving quietly, even though nothing short of an earthquake could rouse Davina in her current state. He borrowed from the key hanger that hung near the door the key to lock her door, not wanting to leave it unsecured, and placed it underneath the mat that sat abreast of the entrance. Once he had made it to the bottom of the stairs, Shuichi withdrew his phone to type out a text message for her—in it, he thanked her for a wonderful evening, informing her that he had let himself out after she had fallen asleep while he finished up the remainder of his studying, telling her that her key could be located beneath the door mat when she came to. He sent the correspondence along, and then made the short walk home. It was still somewhat early, with the hour holding just shy of half past eight.

The Minamino-Hatanaka house was eerily empty upon his arrival—he could sense no familiar presence within it, even as he breached the door and stepped inside. He knew that Kokoda was over at a friend's house for the evening, but was due to return home at any time. His step-father would be at the café until at least ten or so—it officially closed by nine, but there was always cleaning and prepping to do once the customers had vacated. It was a late work night for his mother—she typically didn't make it home until after nine on Wednesdays. Shuichi was grateful for the silence, and wasted no time in taking a shower and retreating to the privacy of his bedroom. The events of the evening had left him feeling rather drained mentally, and he was eager to relax—he still had some studying to wrap up, so he got to work, knocking out the remaining sections in a short period of time. He was climbing into bed just as Kokoda arrived home—he could sense his familiar aura as he approached the front door and unlocked it. It wasn't long afterwards that Shuichi found himself falling into the welcoming arms of sleep—he hoped it would be a blissfully dreamless one.

'_Tomorrow will be a better day,_' he quietly assured himself, just before he drifted off, his heavy eyes closing as he surrendered to oblivion.

*Author's Note: Thank you to the sexyshewolf for the favorite and follow, and to misslindh for following. My appreciation goes out to Lestatsgirl15 for leaving me another kind review. I'm sorry this chapter took a little additional time, but for those unaware, I live down in Florida, and we were under the threat of Hurricane Dorian for the past few days, which meant that the majority of my free time lately was spent trying to prepare my home and gather supplies in case we got hit hard. Fortunately, we dodged a bullet on this one, but there are still almost two months left in hurricane season, so we aren't out of the woods yet. I will be starting on the next chapter tonight once I'm free from work, so keep an eye out for it soon. Thank you all for reading!


	12. Chapter 12 - Wayward Urges

When Davina awoke, it was early into the hours of the next morning—confusion immediately set in as she reached up to rub her eyes, still heavy with traces of sleep, and realized that she was not curled up within the comfort of her bed but an occupant of the living room couch. She didn't recall falling sleep there—in fact, she couldn't remember much concerning the conclusion of the previous evening. Sitting up, Davina pushed aside the purple throw blanket and pulled her back into a firm, satisfying stretch before reaching for her phone, which sat in close proximity atop the coffee table where her study materials had been left to rest. It was nearly two hours before her first alarm of the day was set to chime—far too early for her to even consider being coherent. But somehow, despite this, she felt fresh and well rested, as if she had just emerged from some sort of deep hibernation.

Her attention was swiftly diverted from the time when the realization that an unread text from Shuichi was awaiting her examination—eagerly, she tapped on the notification and quickly scanned the message.

'_Thanks for a lovely evening, Davi. I let myself out after you fell asleep while I was finishing up studying. I borrowed your key so I could lock the door—it's under the mat, once you wake up. Hopefully, you slept well. Talk to you soon._'

She read the message twice, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her—she couldn't remember falling asleep for the life of her. In an attempt to piece the evening together in her mind, Davina combed through what she did recall, considering the flow of the memories carefully. Things had gone pretty well, as she understood it. Shuichi had come over to her apartment, they had studied for a good while, settled within the living room—much to her relief, she could easily call to mind the information provided by the sociology notes he had shared. If she hadn't been able to, odds were that Davina would have spiraled into a mild panic, seeing as the examination was tomorrow and there was a fair amount of material to cover. Dinner had been made at one point in time—she could easily remember the comical groan Shuichi's belly had made in announcing his hunger upon her offer of food. The meal had gone well enough—he had even insisted on washing up the soiled dishes, even after she had attempted to thwart his efforts. She must have nodded off while waiting for him to finish up and rejoin her on the couch—it seemed a solid explanation, one that didn't warrant further investigation. She had been pretty tired before Shuichi had even arrived at her apartment, so it wasn't farfetched that she would mistakenly slip into slumber while idle.

This realization had Davina feeling rather perturbed with herself—their evening had been progressing wonderfully and she had ruined the pleasant momentum by falling asleep. She was severely disappointed in the lackluster outcome, to say the least. At least Shuichi seemed to be taking it well enough, judging by the correspondence he had sent her. Davina removed herself from the couch and headed for the front door, freeing the lock before pushing it open and kneeling down to reclaim her wayward key from beneath the coarse mat. Her eyes took in the exterior surroundings as she rose to her feet—it was still well before dawn, and the early morning sky was still painted in shades of black and dark blue. A pale yellow moon in the shape of a Cheshire Cat's grin hung low in the overhead abyss, glowing mutely against the murky backdrop. Enthralled by the sight, Davina took several steps forward, pausing at the steel railing that lined the exposed edge of the exterior hallway. She rested her arms atop the barrier, her gaze drawn upwards to appreciate the view.

Without the sun to warm it, the fall air was nearly frigid, chilling her skin as it whispered past, carrying with it a strange musk of faint smoke and something vaguely floral. A shiver raced down the length of her spine as the sudden cold kissed her flesh, piercing the thin fabric of her long sleeved shirt with ease. With a sigh, she abandoned her current position and returned to the warmth of her apartment, carefully closing the door with a firm push and securing the lock behind her. Knowing that there existed no hope of her being able to return to the comfort of sleep, Davina opted to take a long hot shower instead—afterwards, she dressed for her day, donning a simple black tank top coupled with dark gray leggings and her favorite black Converse sneakers. A long sleeved wine colored cardigan sweater completed the look, with several of the buttons towards the bottom secured to provide a more modest approach. She headed into the washroom and readied herself while enjoying her first cup of coffee—after quickly blow drying her hair, Davina brushed it thoroughly, opting to leave it down for the day. She applied the little make-up she typically wore, and generously spritzed herself down with her preferred perfume to finish her process.

Dawn was beginning to break as she returned to the kitchen to make herself another beverage. She perched at the tiny dining table as she consumed it, casually perusing through her phone. After some consideration, Davina penned a short reply to Shuichi, apologizing for bringing their evening to a premature close. Much to her surprise, he responded almost immediately, assuring her that there was no reason for an apology. Her phone vibrated within her hand as a second message emerged, popping up on the small screen in tandem.

'_Perhaps we can make the trip to school together today?_'

His inquiry, while unanticipated, made Davina smile.

'_I'd like that_,' she replied without hesitation. '_Where and when did you want to meet?_'

'_I'll be at your door in about thirty minutes, if that's acceptable._'

She replied with her agreement, sudden heat blossoming on her cheeks. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Shuichi seemed rather eager to see her—the realization made her feel quite happy. Maybe there was something growing there, something beyond the horizon of simple friendship—the potential was certainly obvious, and while the notion did inspire some sense of deeply seated anxiety with her, Davina was more thrilled than worried. She couldn't very well allow her concerns to consume her, or else they would heavily overshadow anything good that would come from what lie ahead—and she knew from prior experiences that half the fun of being with someone came in learning them, becoming familiar with their mannerisms, accepting their quirks, understanding the manner in which their thoughts progressed. And of course, there was always the physical aspect that played a considerable role in the whole process—Davina would be lying to herself if she claimed to not be entirely intrigued by the thought.

Despite his overall gentle nature and typically soft spoken tone, there was something lingering behind Shuichi's eyes that screamed dominance—it was something instinctive, something fierce and powerful, and whatever it was, Davina wanted to know it with every fiber of her being. Her previous sexual encounters with her ex-boyfriend had been rather simple—Marcus had never expressed a desire to apply much creativity or even effort; in truth, he had been almost entirely focused on his own release, while hers took a backseat in terms of importance. While it had annoyed her in the beginning, she had eventually given up on things ever changing, coming to accept it as normal—even when she knew it was not. There was no inkling of doubt that things would be entirely different in Shuichi's company, if and when things ever came to be. Only time would tell.

Davina was packing the last of her things into her school bag when a firm knock on the door echoed, signaling her companion's arrival. She raced to open the door, unable to keep a smile from forming across her lips as her gaze met his and held steady.

"Good morning," she offered softly, taking a step back to permit him entrance into her apartment.

. . .

Shuichi came to rouse from sleep of his own accord, awaking mere minutes prior to time his alarm was set to disrupt his slumber. He lingered in bed for a short while, not yet willing to leave the pleasant warmth of the covers that surrounded him. Despite the full night of rest, he still felt tired—his limbs were weary with exhaustion, and he had a mild headache loitering just behind his left eye that emitted tiny pinpricks of throbbing pain with every breath he took.

When he could remain in bed no longer for fear of potentially being late, Shuichi forced himself to rise, slowly making his way into the bathroom. He relieved himself and took a quick shower, the hot water on his face and the curves of his neck and shoulders helping to calm the irritation prompted by the brewing headache he was unwillingly entertaining. Once he had bathed, Shuichi quickly dried himself off and headed back into the privacy of his bedroom—the Minamino-Hatanaka house was still fairly quiet. He could feel his mother's energy as she readied herself for the day ahead within the en suite she shared with her husband—both Tanaka and Kokoda's auras were stagnant, still consumed by sleep. That would change soon enough, and Shuichi wished to be on his way out before the common areas grew busy, hoping to avoid anything that could worsen his condition.

He was in the midst of getting dressed when he heard the subtle vibration of his phone as it shuddered atop his nightstand. Curious, he picked up the device and tapped on the notification that awaited him—it was a message from Davina. He skimmed over it quickly, experiencing a mild pang of anxious concern blossom within the confines of his chest.

'_Hey, sorry for falling asleep so early last night—I didn't mean to cut our evening short. Thanks for locking up before you left, and hopefully, I'll get to see you soon_.'

Much to Shuichi's relief, there was nothing within her correspondence that inspired a cause for alarm—in fact, the message seemed lighthearted, perhaps even hopeful, as if she were indeed eager to be in his company once more. It was safe to assume that his clever little trick to alter her memories had been a rousing success, but he wanted to make absolutely certain of this. He quickly proposed that they make the venture to university together, and much to his satisfaction, Davina readily agreed. Shuichi solidified their plans by announcing a time for his impending arrival at her door, and abandoned his phone in favor of continuing his efforts to ready himself for the day ahead. When the appropriate time came, he grabbed what he needed for his classes and hit the door, pausing to briefly wish his mother a good day in passing as he slipped beyond the kitchen.

His walk to Davina's apartment was a swift one—the annoying ache still lingered beyond his eye, but had lessened to some mild degree. Apprehension gnawed at his mind, but Shuichi forced it aside, knowing that it was pointless to even consider all the ways in which things could quickly take an undesirable turn. For the moment, there was no such threat—it was best to take it moment by moment instead of focusing on the collection of angst-inspired hypothetical scenarios his brain had unkindly invented. He'd worry about that if and when such a thing came to pass.

Once he had reached her door, Shuichi paused in his efforts, hesitating for a long moment before placing a firm knock on the surface to alert his companion to his presence. The barrier that separated them swung open within seconds, and he was quickly greeted by Davina's smiling face—it seemed genuine, complimented by the warmth that radiated forth from her inviting gaze. A sudden flood of desperate relief washed over his entire being—despite his meddling, Davina appeared unaltered—it was glaringly obvious that she had no recollection of the troublesome events that had unraveled later in their previous evening together, or else she would have hardly been so inclined to appear so pleased to see him. The breath Shuichi had failed to realize that he was holding back escaped him in a slow exhale, releasing the strict tension that had gathered in his chest.

"Good morning," she offered sweetly, taking a short step back to allow him enough space to make his way inside. Shuichi slipped into her apartment, the faint smell of coffee lingering delightfully in the surrounding air.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, making a point to keep the curiosity out of his voice—instead, he opted for a playful tone, acting as if he were teasing her. She responded accordingly, her cheeks flushing a soft pink—Shuichi couldn't help but smirk mildly at her endearing reaction.

"A little too well, apparently," she replied with a soft chuckle of embarrassment as she withdrew her stare and directed it away from him. "Guess I was more tired than I realized…"

"It happens," he offered quietly, fixing her with a small smile that was meant to reassure—its presence reclaimed her attention, prompting her to lock eyes with him once again. "I still rather enjoyed myself." There was significant truth in that statement—up until the sour confrontation, things had been quite wonderful. Shuichi found himself desiring a second opportunity, now that certain roadblocks had been effectively eliminated. However, he was hesitant to put forth the idea—he decided he would give Davina the opportunity to suggest another evening together of her own accord. If she didn't do so in a timely manner, he would bite the bullet and propose the idea.

"So did I," Davina admitted, a silent sort of admiration blossoming in those vivid hazel eyes. "And I was hoping that you'd be willing to hang out again sometime soon—I can cook, we can watch a movie, something like that. And I'll make it a point to stay awake this time, I promise."

Shuichi couldn't suppress the smile that formed across his lips at her modest inquiry—he had certainly been hopeful, but hadn't anticipated such a swift request. He began to ponder a future evening he could offer to her— unfortunately, later that very afternoon wasn't an option, seeing as he had a shift at the café to work and an exam in his first class of the day the following morning. Friday night had potential, but he had already agreed to cover his stepfather's opening shift that Saturday morning, which meant he had to be at the café a solid hour before it opened to prepare everything for the day. Given their collective plans to hang out with Kazuma and the others for the remainder of Saturday, it was safe to assume that the night would be spent within Davina's company, but in such a capacity that offered them no privacy. After a long moment of consideration, he decided on a course of action.

"Are you available Friday evening?" he asked—while it would mean forfeiting several hours of sleep, Shuichi believed that it was a worthy sacrifice to make. Despite the fact that Davina appeared utterly unaware of the deceitful manipulation he had brought upon her, he still felt as if he should make an effort to make up for his less than honest actions—she would be none the wiser, but such a thing would help ease the guilt he was harboring over it.

"I am," she replied with a firm nod of her head.

"Well then, I'm all yours," Shuichi offered teasingly, giving her an inviting smile. Once again, heat marred Davina's freckled cheeks, no doubt inspired by his comment. She played it off as best she could, stepping away to grab her school bag, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"So, Friday night it is then," she finally replied, her words laced with anticipation. Shuichi nodded in agreement before gesturing towards the door.

"Shall we head out? The next train leaves in about twenty minutes."

"We probably should—don't want to be late to class."

It was a quick trip over to the train station, and true to expectation, the next transport arrived well within the allotted time frame. As per usual, the tram was quite crowded, filled with students and commuters all eager to make their way into Osaka. Once more, Shuichi and Davina were made to stand amongst the throng, securing their place along the railing close to the nearest doors. Once the car had been amply occupied, the doors slid shut and the train lurched forward—the momentum sent Davina's backside pushing into Shuichi's front, just as it had during their first train ride in each other's company. Only this time, Davina willingly pressed the length of her ample bottom against her companion, lacking any sense of urgency to remove herself from the current position. Shuichi felt his jaw clench and the hand clutching the overhead bar tightened its grip in an involuntary spasm. The sudden warmth and delightful pressure against his lower extremities was enough to send a rush of heat racing down the length of his lithe form.

A soft groan escaped him as Davina casually gave her hips a little wiggle—Shuichi almost failed to catch the small smirk that had perched across her lips in light of her brazen movements.

"Sorry!" she offered in a tone that lacked sincerity—instead, Davina sounded blatantly amused, as if she had hoped to glean such a reaction out of him in light of their sudden physical contact. Despite her brief apology, his companion made no effort to immediately relocate herself—she allowed the length of her body to linger against his, which only worsened the carnal desires Shuichi was now openly entertaining within the confines of his thoughts.

Upon the realization that her lecherous actions were intentional and far from accidental, he decided to respond in kind—without warning, his free arm snuck around the perimeter of Davina's waist, his hand coming to perch firmly on the curve of her hip. Purposely, he fixed the spot with a mild squeeze, the sensation prompting a surprised gasp to escape her—due to their closeness, he could feel the sudden tension gather in her spine as she stiffened against him, having not expected him to be so brazen. If she wanted to play, he would happily oblige her.

"No need to apologize," Shuichi offered casually, keeping his tone light, as if they were merely having some sort of informal conversation instead of engaged in a strange kind of mild foreplay. "You're perfect where you are." Despite his best efforts, he failed to keep the smirk out of his voice—in truth, he was rather enjoying this odd little display, especially now that he had claimed the upper hand.

A soft chuckle escaped Davina then—it sounded breathy, almost nervous, but the new layer of scent that had suddenly emerged forth from her very pores was not one born of trepidation, but rather of lust. There was absolutely no mistaking it—it was delicious and heady, filling his nostrils like an exotic perfume that he happily inhaled deeply into his lungs, so potent that Shuichi could nearly taste it. He wasn't sure where this newfound boldness had emerged from, but he certainly wasn't displeased by it.

While it was true that he would always insist on dominance, Shuichi liked a little fire in the females he bedded—their submission was imminent, but he enjoyed the process of encouraging him to surrender to his rule. Davina possessed that particular spark within her, even if it was buried deep. It was either born of repression or hindered by a lack of experience, perhaps both—Shuichi knew little about her sexual history, and, in truth, he had no desire to know. The idea of another man touching what he wanted for himself, even in a manner of past tense, inspired that unpleasant hiss of fury that lurked deep down inside of him—to silence it, he forced away such thoughts, and instead focused on the enjoyable situation he had unexpectedly found himself in.

. . .

Following some good natured banter in which Shuichi placidly teased her over her impromptu nap, Davina decided to just go for broke and request his company once more—she was curious over what might have been if she hadn't fallen victim to her exhaustion, and was decidedly impatient to have another opportunity. He took a long moment to consider her question, and for a brief interlude, Davina wondered if her companion was simply deciding on a preferred time, or contemplating if he even desired another evening with her—bitter anxiety was on the verge of rearing its ugly head when Shuichi finally replied with his inquiry as to the availability of her Friday evening. She was quick to agree, feeling a sense of relief flooding throughout her person upon the realization that he was still interested.

"Well then, I'm all yours," he replied jokingly, his response accompanied by a mischievous smile that gave his eyes a downright impish glow. The implication behind his statement was not lost upon Davina, who internally groaned at the faint tingling sensation of familiar heat that licked at her cheeks. She did her best to appear unaffected by his remark, moving to pick up her bag for school all the while doing her damnedest to suppress a smile.

After she had taken a few moments to collect herself, Davina finally offered a response.

"So, Friday night it is then," she announced firmly, knowing that the eagerness presence in her tone would not go unnoticed by her companion. Shuichi was quick to nod his head agreeably, before gesturing towards the exit and suggesting that it was best that they began their venture over to the train depo, lest they run the risk of being late for their first classes. The trip was a swift one, and as expected, the station was clamoring with people. Their transport arrived as anticipated, and the pair boarded in tandem—unable to secure seating in the midst of the vast crowd of moving bodies, they elected to stand as near to the exit as possible, claiming a place on the holding bar that hung above to steady themselves. Just as before, Davina was perched in front of Shuichi, closing enough in proximity for her to be hyperaware of his presence. She was suddenly overcome with a desire to toy with him—it seemed fair, given the playful manner in which he was carrying on.

She patiently waited for the train to depart, using the forward rush of the train as an excuse for a collision between their bodies—it was glaringly reminiscent of their first ride together, only this time around, the contact was measured and intentional. Davina arched herself against Shuichi fully, liking the firm press of his taut form against her own. She fit him perfectly, melding against him with ease as a burst of warmth filled her belly and sunk low. Unable to contain herself, Davina favored her hips with a tentative squirm—that mild gyration earned her a deep groan from Shuichi, and birthed a smirk of salacious satisfaction.

Not wanting to appear uncouth, she decided it was best to end the licentious display, and offered a brief apology—but Davina was far from sorry, and her tone held no evidence of contrition. She made no move to relocate her current position, wanting to enjoy the way it felt for just a few seconds longer before abandoning her efforts. But before she could remove herself, Shuichi's arm came to curve about the length of her waist, his unoccupied hand coming to rest boldly on the crescent of her hip—a soft gasp of surprise forth from Davina's lips as she felt his appendages fix the spot with a firm squeeze, causing her spine to immediately straighten and grow tense. She hadn't anticipated this kind of retort from him, and as such, was woefully unprepared for such a thing.

"No need to apologize," Shuichi assured her softly. "You're perfect where you are." His voice was smooth and encouraging, but laden with a slyness that only worsened the warmth confined within Davina's insides. A quiet chuckle escaped her in reply, but words failed her—they stood in silence for the remainder of their journey, locked against one another. When the car finally pulled to a stop, Shuichi released his hold on her person and took a short step away to afford her some space. The loss of his warmth and delightful pressure came as an immediate source of disappointment for Davina, who had been enjoying the questionable interlude more than she cared to openly admit. They disembarked from the train and made their way outside, arriving to their campus amidst a throng of fellow students all headed in the same direction.

Once in the main hall, the pair paused to say their goodbyes before parting ways—Shuichi fixed her with a smile that spoke silent volumes, a pointed gleam within his eyes that made Davina feel weak in the knees.

"Well, I must be off—thank you for joining me," he offered kindly. "I'll talk to you at a later time—have a good day, Davi." He began heading in the direction of his classroom, but halted in his step to catch one last glance of her before he rounded a corner and disappeared from her view. She lingered for a long moment, trying to collect herself—her morning certainly had taken a great, but highly unexpected turn, and in truth, she was still attempting to wrap her head around everything that had transpired. By the time she arrived within her first classroom of the day, Davina was more or less mentally prepared for the day ahead—she did her best to focus on the lesson at hand, but thoughts of Shuichi keep popping into her mind's eye, making it somewhat hard to concentrate.

One thing was for absolutely certain—Friday evening could not come quickly enough.

*Author's Note: My sincere apologies for taking so long to post this chapter. I recently started working a second job, and unfortunately have had little to no free time or energy to dedicate to writing as of late. I'm attempting to remedy that now that I'm getting accustomed to my new schedule. No need to worry, I have every intention of continuing on with writing this story and will be making an honest effort to post as often as possible. I'd like to thank RedUniCamel, RainbowPotter, aMereContradiction, Insanity's Haven, Somethingerror, Anastacia Lynn, and devilhuntermistress for favoriting and/or following, and my appreciation to Somethingerror for leaving me a very flattering review. You guys are wonderful, and I appreciate your continued encouragement and patience. I have begun the next chapter, so look for it over the next few weeks. Thanks again! Hope everyone out there is enjoying Spooky Season!


	13. Chapter 13 - Unexpected

The remainder of Davina's Thursday passed by with an odd, almost hazy sort of quality. She caught her attention slipping from time to time as she progressed through her classes, and it took a significant amount of mental discipline to reclaim her focus. Despite her best efforts, her thoughts kept regressing back to Shuichi and what the near future held in store—such contemplation lingered at the back of her mind regardless of how hard she attempted to stifle it. When it came time for dismissal from her final class, she was considerably relieved. Apart from finishing up a single homework assignment, Davina had no outstanding tasks to complete for her evening. She decided to hit the library before heading home, intent on grabbing an afternoon coffee and completing the one academic task she had on her radar.

Much to her surprise, the library was ridiculously packed for a Thursday—there was no available seating to be found, and the noise level confined within the vast space was just short of intolerable. It grated on Davina's nerves from the moment she entered, causing her to wince in discontentment. Even the coffee shop near the entrance boasted a painfully lengthy line—it only took her a moment to reconsider her choice, and she opted to flee, withdrawing from the throng as quickly as she could manage. She assumed that many of her fellow students also had impending examinations the following day and were in dire straits to prepare themselves—hence the massive crowd present within the normally quietly occupied space. As she had already taken the measures to amply prepare herself for her own test, Davina had no qualms in abandoning her current plan in favor of heading home—she could always make herself a cup of coffee and wrap up her one assignment from the quiet and comfort of her apartment, an idea that very much appealed to her in light of her discovery.

Set on a course of action, she removed herself from the teeming vestibule and sighed deeply in relief upon emerging back outside. En route back through the quad, Davina was startled when she unexpectedly heard her name being called by a voice she did not recognize. She suddenly halted her step and turned her head in the direction of the unanticipated acknowledgement, only to be met by the inquisitive face of a male student she was not familiar with.

"So, you're Davina?" he offered in a manner of greeting, his gaze meeting hers and holding firm even as she quirked a mildly curious brow at him. He appeared to be about her age, hovering over her by several inches, rail-thin and lanky, with bright blue eyes and a thick wavy crown of messy chestnut brown hair. His Japanese was near perfect, but judging by his appearance, he had evidence of genetics that were decidedly not native, same as her. This intrigued her to some extent, but she was put-off by his sudden intrusion and not feeling exactly friendly at his unforeseen demand of her attention.

"Erm, yes, I'm Davina," she replied, trying to mask the worst of her discomfort. She shared no classes with this student, and couldn't recall ever seeing him around the campus—the fact that he somehow knew her name made her feel somewhat uneasy. "Who are you?"

"I'm Lucas Akihiro," he replied without hesitation, thrusting his hand out as if he were meeting someone for a job interview. Davina hesitated, but shook it briefly. "I'm the head of the literary committee here at Chishiki No Eda—my friend, Kuwabara told me to keep an eye out for you. He said that you're a writer and that you were interested in contributing." He sighed in relief, his narrow shoulders heaving so heavily, it was nearly comedic to witness. "I can't tell you how happy I am that I finally found the right redhead—Kazuma didn't really give me many details about you other than your hair color, and he didn't specify what shade of red to look for…"

Upon his explanation, Davina felt herself relax almost immediately, the tension in her shoulders suddenly abating. Kazuma had previously declared that he was familiar with someone on the literary committee, and had offered to introduce them—he had failed to mention that he had already shared her interest with the party in question.

"Yes, I am interested," she responded confidently, fixing her companion with a mild smile. "And if it's any comfort, Kazuma didn't tell me that he had already spoken with you about me."

Lucas chuckled at her statement and shook his head. "Can't say that I'm surprised…he's kind of a space cadet sometimes…anyway, when can we meet up to discuss things? The upcoming publication is due in by next Friday, and if you have something you'd like to submit, it needs to be approved before then. I've got spots open for poems, short stories, you name it. Our weekly meeting is every Tuesday, and we're currently looking for an assistant editor to help with the campus magazine."

He talked swiftly, as if he were trying to complete multiple sentences in one short breath, and Davina was mildly perturbed at the rushed manner in which he was attempting to share information with her while not give her the opportunity to respond.

"Take a breath, Lucas," she said dryly, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I'm free now, if you're available. If not, we can figure out a different time. I'm definitely interested in submitting something, but right now, I have no idea what. I haven't written anything lately, so I might not be able to make this publication. And as for joining the committee, I hadn't even considered that. One thing at a time, alright?"

"Yeah, sorry about that," he replied, looking sheepish as he scratched the back of his head. "I guess I was just a bit too enthusiastic—we don't get a lot of student submissions these days. I'm actually on my way to meet up with my study group in the library, so now is not a good time—are you free Monday afternoon?"

Davina nodded her head, somewhat relieved that there would be some time before their next conversation—Lucas was certainly an odd sort, but seemed nice enough. Now that she had an idea of what to expect from him, she'd be better mentally prepared to handle it come their next interaction.

"Yes, I am. My last class end at four—perhaps we can meet up in the library to discuss things further?"

Her companion quickly nodded his head in agreement, appearing pleased at her offer for a future meeting.

"That works—and if you have any current material you'd like to submit or talk about, make sure you bring it with you," he advised softly. "Do you draw or paint? Our editor-in-chief is big on mixed media submissions right now."

"I do, I'll make sure to bring my sketchbook," she replied, making a mental note to add the pad to her school bag when the opportunity arose, lest she forget.

"Excellent! I'll see you Monday! Nice meeting you!" Lucas offered, fixing her with a wide, almost boyish grin before taking his leave and heading back in the direction Davina had hailed from. She remained stationary for a few moments to collect herself—it had been such an odd interaction, and to be honest, she was relieved it was over. While she was certainly excited by the prospects of pursuing some involvement with writing, her impromptu meeting with Lucas had effectively put her on the spot and she had been woefully unready for such a cavalcade of conversation—all she wanted now was to thoroughly enjoy some quiet in the comfortable solitude of her own space.

Much to her good fortune, the remainder of Davina's trip home was had in peace. She was quick to complete her one withstanding assignment, forgoing the coffee in favor of just jumping in and getting it done. It took her less time than anticipated, and she found herself desiring not only a coffee but a delicious pastry in which to keep it company. After some consideration, Davina decided to head over to the Koeda Café to treat herself, opting to bring along a book to read. She perused her bookshelves, only to find that nothing she had on hand truly appealed to her—she had read most, if not all, of the titles she owned multiple times. In truth, Davina had been wanting to visit the local bookstore within the downtown district nearly since she had first moved in, but had forced herself to avoid it—book stores were a significant source of danger for her, and she didn't want to envision the argument with her parents if she went in one unsupervised and dropped a mortgage payment worth of money on novels. Perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration, but if left to her own devices, such a thing certainly was possible.

Prior to her relocation, Davina's parents had given her access to the account they had put aside for her to use while attending college—they had been generously adding funds to it since she was born, and the amount of money it boasted was no small number. They had also bestowed upon her a credit card to use for larger purchases and emergencies. Of course, her mother had made it a point early on in life to teach her money management skills, and for the most part, Davina was very careful with her finances—she knew how to live frugally, and wasn't one to spend carelessly—hell, she wasn't even a huge fan of shopping for things like clothes and accessories, as most girls her age were. But books…books were her weakness—there were so many of them, such a variety of genres, of storylines to follow and characters to fall in love with, of endings to cry over and sequels to devour. It had been a fairly long time since she had last acquired anything new, and now seemed as good a time as any—of course, she could always visit the university library and borrow a decent collective, but given her penchant for rereading, she'd ultimately end up purchasing the titles she favored anyway, so there was little point in doing such a thing, or so Davina told herself.

After freshening herself up, Davina grabbed her purse and headed to Kaiden's downtown district, directly making her way into the bookstore, which was cleverly named _Shosetsu Shiso_—_Novel Thought_. It occupied a narrow storefront, but was amply filled with floor to ceiling shelves of books, all carefully organized by genre. The overhead lighting was muted, and the air smelled vaguely of sandalwood incense, woodsy and mildly sweet all at once. Apart from the collection of tall bookcases, the only other furniture to occupy the narrow space was a small desk near the center of the shop that served as the clerk's station and the checkout. While a far cry from the massive chain bookstores Davina had grown up with, she found herself enthralled by these new surroundings and took everything in with a happily curious eye.

Of course, most of the material housed within _Novel Thought_ hailed from native writers, but Davina spied some popular American titles she recognized perched within the Best Sellers among the residential content. During her perusal, she came across several novels by popular Japanese authors she had already read, some in their original format and some via translation. While she was sorely tempted to select a paperback copy of Haruki Murakami's mid-eighties thriller, _Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World_, Davina had already read the story, and ultimately wanted to pick out something brand new to immerse herself in. Slowly, she flittered her way from shelf to shelf, her eyes tracing over each spine with careful consideration.

While searching, a single title caught her attention—it was a hardback novel, fairly thick, notably lacking a paper dust jacket that typically accompanied such books. The cover itself was a deep gray, and the font the title was printed in along the spine in silver was a strange one, reminiscent of Corsiva style calligraphy. _Issho ni shita_—_Together Below_, when translated—curious, Davina withdrew the book from its home and found it to be lacking any sort of cover art or story description. While this might have dissuaded another person, it only sought to intrigue her further, and she quickly cracked the cover, slipped past the author's note, and delved right into the prologue—much to Davina's pleasure, she discovered that the story was one revolving around the affair of Hades and Persephone, which was among her absolute favorite tales in Greek mythology. She only advanced several lines further before making the decision to purchase the book, content with her little literary discovery and eager to begin reading.

With her prize in hand, Davina made her way over to the checkout and cashed out, fixing the clerk with a pleased smile as he handed over her purchase and nodded in farewell. She was walking towards the door when she felt the familiar jolt of her phone as it vibrated from within her purse—once she was outside, she withdrew it from its holding place and opened up the message she found waiting there. A small smile formed on her lips as she spied Shuichi's name at the very top of the tiny screen.

'_Hope your day was kind to you. I was just about to head into work, but wanted you to know that I was thinking about you'_, the text read, and Davina suddenly felt flustered, her cheeks warming at the brazen statement as she continued to read the correspondence. '_Very much looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night—enjoy your evening._' It was such a short and straightforward message, but the underlying tones were unmistakable—after their earlier, not-so-innocent interactions on the train, there was no doubt in Davina's mind that he too was experiencing similar urges, and, by the sound of things, could very well be planning to act upon them in some capacity when the opportunity to do so presented itself.

The realization prompted a whirlwind of different emotions to gather inside of her mind: excitement, apprehension, lust, timidity—the conflicting feelings clashed together, causing questions caused by her thoughts to ripple out in a wave-like effect that almost inspired a sense of dizziness. It was a cavalcade of raunchy what-ifs and awkward but-hows, and Davina forced her attention away from such conceptions—if she dared to over-think things, she'd undoubtedly ruin the moment for herself, and that was the very last thing she wanted. It was best to emerge herself in a distraction to keep her mind occupied—luckily, she had just acquired one. Now all she had to do was reach her current destination, grab a delicious snack and dive in.

While heading in the direction of the Koeda Café, Davina typed up a quick reply, keeping her response fairly generic. She sent it along just before pushing her way inside—much to her pleasure, the owner, Kazuya, was working the counter—as she hadn't been in for quite a while due to school obligations, Davina was worried he wouldn't remember her. That fear immediately fled when the older man met her anxious gaze and swiftly smiled widely, his eyes lighting up from behind their large square lenses.

"Ah, Davina! Lovely to see you in! It's been a while, hasn't it?" he offered kindly as she made her way over to the counter. Luckily, there were no other customers lingering around, waiting to order, and the dining area of the café was sparsely populated, at least for the moment.

"Yes, it's been a few weeks now," she replied with a short nod. "Busy with homework, and keeping up with my classes. How have you been, Mr. Kazuya?"

"Oh, I can't complain," he responded with a soft chuckle. "Been staying busy, as usual. You know how it goes. What can I get you today? The usual?"

"Yes, please," Davina said with a small smile—it occurred to her that she truly missed stopping in the café, and made a mental note to do so more often. There was a comforting familiarity in visiting that she didn't get much these days, and wanted more of. "And an order of the matcha daifuku, please." She could taste the sweet cream that filled the sticky mochi pastries already, and could feel her mouth salivate with anticipation of their deliciousness.

"Coming right up," Kazuya offered agreeably, proceeding to ring her up. Davina paid for her order, and then went to claim a place to sit while her items were prepared. She selected a small corner booth near the back of the café, in close proximity to tiny wait-station—it was rather secluded from the handful of other patrons inhabiting the space, and she slipped into the seat facing away from the populated dining area. Without hesitation, she settled in, placing down her purse and opening her newly acquired book, turning it to the start of the prologue to reread over the tiny excerpt she had sampled while in the bookstore.

She was nearly done with it when a familiar voice unexpectedly spoke to her, effectively startling her out of the zone she had immersed herself in. Davina whipped her head upwards, her attention fleeing from the page and her eyes growing wide as her gaze met that of Shuichi. He carried a small tray bearing her beverage and snack, and was dressed in a simple uniform: black slacks with matching slip-resistant shoes, a soft blue button down shirt that bore the café's name upon the left breast, and a navy blue half apron secured about his waist.

"Hello, Davi," he offered quietly, mirroring her surprise if only for a brief moment before fixing her with a warm smile.

. . .

Much like Davina, Shuichi found it somewhat of a challenge to concentrate on the academic aspects of his day—it took considerable effort to wrangle his mind, which was adamant on clinging to questionable thoughts and building salacious scenarios around them. Despite keeping such potent urges at bay, they refused to vacate entirely, only encouraged by the events that had transpired earlier during their brief train ride. In truth, he was relieved to know that things had taken such a turn—it was a fair indicator that her mind had fully accepted the altercation of reality he had put upon her, and there were no residual effects to speak of, at least, for the moment. Such a thing would consider further scrutiny, as expected, but for now, Shuichi wasn't overly concerned. He was hoping they would continue traveling down their current path, although the final destination for said direction had yet to be fully determined.

As expected, he was somewhat relived when his educational obligations for the day were completed—of course, he still had two homework assignments to wrap up, and an evening shift at the Koeda Café awaited him. He used the spare time between responsibilities to finish his outstanding coursework within the quiet of his bedroom, treating himself to a quick snack before taking a short shower and donning his uniform. The house was blissfully silent, currently occupied only by himself—Shuichi found himself wishing he could remain and enjoy the peace, for it was indeed a rare occurrence, but knew that such a thing was impossible. His step-father relied on him to be a model employee, and Shuichi did not want to disappoint him.

In truth, he only accepted the job offer because Kazuya was desperate for reliable people—Shuichi hadn't been actively seeing employment when the suggestion was made. Initially, his mother had been against the idea of him working, fearing it would diverge his concentration from his studies, and his grades would suffer. But knowing that it would greatly help Kazuya as well as provide him extra funds prompted him to agree, and he was swift to prove that he could manage the additional workload without risking his academic prowess—this effectively quelled Shiori's concerns, and there hadn't been any further discussion of protest.

As it were, there were countless days where the café and his duties there were the last thing Shuichi wanted to involve himself in—but he kept those feelings to himself, never once complaining. It was just another step in living a simple human life—a bland, painfully banal one, but somewhat useful. The money he earned enabled him to do little things that brought him gratification, such as treating his mother to their weekly brunch, and that alone was worth the effort. But despite this, it didn't make it any easier to concede to his obligations when he desired to spend his time in a different manner. Unfortunately, today was one of those days.

Much like he always did, Shuichi swallowed back his reluctant attitude and left for his destination. During the brief walk, he penned a text to Davina, casually reinforcing the idea that she was very much present in his thoughts. He clicked the option to send it along just as he crossed the threshold into the café, immediately being greeted by his step-father, who seemed relieved to see him. While he made his way towards the office to clock himself in, Shuichi felt his phone tremble within the confines of his pocket and withdrew it at once, intently studying the tiny screen.

'_My day was good, and you've been on my mind as well. Hope work goes quickly—see you tomorrow_.'

In spite of the simplicity of the message, Shuichi found a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. But he couldn't permit himself to get lost in thought, not when he was due to report to Kazuya for his first task of the evening. After punching in via the office computer, Shuichi returned to the café's front end, where he found his stepfather in the middle of brewing a latte. The pair exchanged pleasantries as Kazuya finished the beverage, adding the cup onto a small serving tray that already hosted a ceramic plate of matcha daifuku and a dessert fork atop a tiny napkin.

"Would you mind taking this to table sixteen?" the older man asked as he took a step back from the counter. "I need to pop into the kitchen and refill the cream."

"Of course," Shuichi readily replied, reaching for the tray and carefully positioning it in his hand before heading in the direction of the table the order was due at. As he made his way over to the corner, his gaze caught a familiar glimpse of copper hair—he swallowed hard, immediately met by the unmistakable aura that hung in the surrounding air. He slowly approached his destination, and as Shuichi inched closer, it was quickly revealed that his assumption was correct—it was Davina sitting there, alone in the booth, with her attention captivated by a book. The aroma of her unique perfume only sought to absolutely confirm that it was indeed her.

Shuichi froze mid-step, internally cursing his poor luck. He had certainly realized that there was a decent chance of this exact scene coming to pass, given how close in proximity they all were, but he hadn't really considered what to do in the event that it did. Not that it mattered much—Davina wouldn't judge him for his occupation, he knew that for certain. No, he was more concerned over Kazuya becoming curious and approaching to investigate the situation—as fond as he was of his mother's husband, Shuichi was a fairly private person, and was not partial to sharing his personal business with others. There would be plenty of questions that he had no desire to answer, and he didn't want to see Davina put on the spot in such a manner, either, especially considering her proclivity for anxiety when in the presence of strangers. He decided it would be best to keep things short and simple while avoiding her as best he could—it was better that way for everyone. He only hoped she wouldn't misread his distantness and become upset over it.

Shuichi approached her table and paused directly in front of it, waiting for her to recognize that she had company. But Davina's gaze was locked into the book she held, her mind failing to register his presence.

"Hello, Davi," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper as she suddenly met his stare, pulled out of her literature induced trance and back into reality. Her eyes became wide as the realization sank in, and Shuichi smiled down at her kindly, finding her reaction mildly amusing.

"H-hi, Shuichi," she replied, the shock causing her voice to waiver slightly. He placed the tray down upon the table and relocated her drink the plate bearing her pastries onto the surface, taking care to give them ample enough space away from her novel. "I didn't realize that this was where you worked."

"Well, surprise," he replied, offering her a dry chuckle. "It's my step-father's establishment."

Davina's demure face contorted with further revelation as she appeared to piece several thoughts together.

"Mr. Kazuya is your step-father?"

Now it was Shuichi's turn to be surprised—he certainly hadn't been anticipating that as a reply.

"Yes, that's right," he responded, quirking a curious brow down at her. "How did you—"

"I've come in here a bunch of times since I moved to Kaiden," Davina explained quickly, the words fleeing her lips before she could stop herself from interrupting her companion. "He introduced himself to me during my second time here and has always been exceedingly kind to me during every visit. He did mention he had a stepson who was attending my school—small world, huh?"

"That's a way to put it," Shuichi replied almost curtly, but kept his smile. He knew it was time to end the conversation, lest he draw Kazuya's unwanted attention. "Well, it was wonderful to see you, even with the circumstances—I must get back to work. Just let me know if you require anything else. I'll talk to you later?" He ended his statement with a question, content to see Davina nod her head in agreement. "Enjoy."

Withdrawing the tray, Shuichi took his leave from her table, feeling the pressure of Davina's stare on his back as he retreated. He did not see her again that evening—not long after their brief conversation, things had picked up and café had become fairly busy. Shuichi wasn't even sure when she had departed—he only came to realize that the table she had been sitting at had been vacated when he dropped off an order to a table nearby. Despite being somewhat disappointed in her silent departure, he was also relieved—he had managed to skate around an awkward exchange, at least for the time being.

Shuichi made it through the remainder of his shift with ease—he was still more than happy when closing time finally came around, as he was exceedingly eager to get home All he desired in that moment was a blissfully long hot shower, followed by the quiet privacy of his bedroom—he needed the chance to sort out his thoughts and considerations for what lay ahead, and wished to do so from the comfort of his bed, free from outside distractions. The second he made it home, he went ahead with such plans, pausing only to speak briefly with his mother, who had just gotten home from work herself. It was obvious that she wished to converse longer, but Shuichi wasn't in the frame of mind for such a thing—he gently begged off, citing that he had an examination early the following morning and was very tired. Shiori did not push, instead wishing him a good night and fixing his hand with a quick, affectionate squeeze before gesturing for him to move along.

Once he was within the bathroom, he locked the door behind him and started the water, allowing it to grow to a pleasantly hot temperature as he slowly removed his clothing—it had been a long and eventful day, and there was little doubt within his mind that tomorrow would be more of the same. Whatever awaited him in the near future, Shuichi wanted to be well rested—he would need all the strength he could get.

*Author's Note: Thank you to Squishywuw for favoriting the story! I'm posting this a few days later than I planned to, but it took a bit longer than anticipated to wrap things up in a way that I liked. Hoping to have the next installment posted by Halloween, if the universe is kind. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement, dear readers!


	14. Chapter 14 - The Taste of Disappointment

Davina returned home that evening in a rather strange mood—she marveled at the thought of how truly small the world was, with Shuichi working at the café she frequented and being the step-son of the kindly owner, Kazuya. Of course, that train of thought prompted her to realize that, if he was indeed family of Kazuya, odds were that Shuichi lived in the house she had witnessed the older man tending the lawn at in the time prior—being in such close proximity, they were nearly neighbors. It just seemed odd to her that Shuichi had failed to mention such a thing—not that it was entirely important, but it did seem like something that could have been brought up in casual conversation. And while Shuichi hadn't seemed unhappy to see her there, he had certainly come across as somewhat terse—their conversation had been brief, and the moment she finished her pastries and coffee, Davina had taken her leave of the café, not wanting to stick around, lest her presence cause Shuichi discomfort. It was just a bizarre feeling—Davina almost felt as if she could no longer visit the Koeda Café now that she knew it was his place of employment. She almost felt as if she were trespassing.

Unwilling to bat the weird events of the previous hour around any longer, Davina decided to wind down for the remainder of her evening with a shower, a cup of chamomile tea, and her newly acquired book—she was only ten chapters in, and already desperately in love. It was such a unique retelling of the ancient myth, and Davina found herself hanging on every paragraph as her eyes gazed over the pages, eager to witness the calamity that was the budding relationship of the ruler of the dead and the goddess of spring.

It was rather later when she finally retired to her bed for the night, having lost track of time during her mental excursion into the Underworld—she was out within seconds of her head hitting the pillow, her body cradled by sleep as her mind painting pictures of the impossible.

_She was dressed in a soft lavender shift that draped off her pale shoulders, her long copper hair curled and a crown of white narcissus flowers atop her head. She walked through a flat plain thick with pale asphodel blossoms, her bare feet tickled by the creeping tendrils. In her left hand, she held a pomegranate, ripe and crimson red against the pale flesh of her appendage. _

_Beyond where she walked stood a lone figure, tall and clad in black robes—it seemed as if the figure had its back to her, and it wore a hood to conceal itself further. She approached it with an odd familiarity, and gasped when the hooded form reached out to take her hand. _

_"__Walk with me?" a voice asked gently. It was Shuichi's voice that emerged from beyond the shroud—she nodded her head, smiling as she intertwined her fingers with his own. _

. . .

Her Friday moved with a speed Davina hadn't believed possible—before she truly realized it, she was in the lecture hall for her sociology class, waiting for the scan sheets and test booklets to be distributed. Thanks to Shuichi's notes, she knocked out the exam with plenty of time to spare, and was confident that she had done well. Coupled with the realization that her weekend had officially begun and that she would be seeing Shuichi soon, Davina made her way off campus and over to the train station with a skip in her step and a happy smile on her lips. After taking her exit at the Kaiden depo, she made the short walk home while humming an upbeat, nameless tune to herself. She had barely gotten through the door and into her apartment before her phone vibrated, signaling the arrival of a text message.

Her smile widened as she withdrew her phone and spied Shuichi's name in the notifications, chuckling softly to herself—someone was eager. But her good mood quickly vanished shortly after opening the message and reading the content within—he was cancelling their evening plans. Apparently, his mother had become ill while at work—he had gone to pick her up and escort her home. He wasn't comfortable with leaving her alone, lest she need something, and no one else was available to keep an eye on her.

The flood of disappointment filled Davina from the top of her brow to the very bottoms of her feet, but she couldn't blame him for his decision—if the tables were turned, she would do the very same thing…except for the fact that her mother never got sick, much less willingly left work early. She decided to wait a while before responding, hoping that some of her initial frustration might dissipate—but it failed to, and she forced herself to concoct an answer, knowing that the longer she waited, the worse it looked.

'_That's okay, no worries_,' she typed up in reply, attempting to hide her displeasure as best she could. Luckily, there was little to no emotional inflection when it came to texting, and for that, she was grateful. '_I hope your mom gets feeling better soon. Hopefully you're still able to hang out tomorrow afternoon. Try to have a good night, good luck_.' Without bothering to reread her words, Davina clicked the send button, and then tossed her phone carelessly onto the couch. She couldn't help but feel as if her entire night had just been ruined—it had, in a way, but there was little she could do about it. Of course, her mind swiftly attempted to pick away at her resolve, feeding on her already poor mood.

'_He's making excuses so he doesn't have to hang out with you_...'

'_Maybe he found someone else he wants to hang out with…_'

'_He could be…_'

"Oh, shut the fuck up already," Davina hissed out loud, her voice echoing across the empty living room. So Shuichi had cancelled on her at the last minute, so be it—shit happened, that was just how life went. But hell if she was going to waste a perfectly good Friday evening seething in self loathing and pity.

Determined to make the best of a bad situation, Davina quickly formulated a plan of action for her night—instead of bothering to cook, she ventured back out and hit the local convenience store, stocking up on an impressive collective of sweets and savory snacks, as well as several bottles of strawberry flavored Ramune soda. Upon her return to her apartment, Davina took a quick shower and dressed comfortably before relocating back to the living room and scrutinizing her collection of DVDs. After a short internal debate, she selected _Casino_ from among her options, and put it into the player. A solid mobster movie was always a good call, especially when she was in a shitty mood—_Goodfellas_ was next on the roster, and then _Scarface_. If she needed something to lull her to sleep, she'd jump into the _Godfather_ trilogy. She arranged her snacks and made herself a nest of sorts on the couch with her trusty purple blanket and several pillows, and commenced her angry movie marathon, pushing away all thoughts of what the night could have been as best she could.

. . .

When the time came for Shuichi's examination, he arrived within the classroom feeling quite confident—his self-assurance was well met, for when the test materials were distributed, he swiftly got to work. Breezing through the collection of multiple-choice, true-false, and several short essay questions, he completed the assessment in less than twenty minutes. As anticipated, Shuichi was more than amply prepared—there wasn't a single question that he harbored uncertainty over. His professor fixed him with a look of mild surprise upon his approach to the front of the hall—it was obvious he hadn't been anticipating any of his students finishing so quickly. The older man accepted Shuichi's offered test booklet with a quirked brow, but remained silent for the duration of their interaction, dismissing his student with a brief nod of his head. Shuichi returned to his seat to gather his things, and promptly left the class with a contented smile perching across his lips.

With his examination done, he now had almost a full two hours of free time until the start of his next and final class for the day. He considered things to go in an effort to pass the interlude, and ultimately decided to venture off campus for a while—there was a nearby destination he wanted to scout out as a potential setting to take Davina to during their next outing, especially now that he had learned about her affinity for art. It was called Art House, a clever combination of store and gallery, fairly well known throughout Osaka and only a few blocks away from Chishiki No Eda. Having never visited it before, Shuichi wanted to scope out the place and see if it fit his expectations. Ambling along leisurely, he made his way to the front gate and took his temporarily leave of the university.

Having checked the address before venturing out blindly into the city, Shuichi headed in the direction of his destination, paying little attention to the people who walked alongside him. He was in a fine mood, satisfied with his academic prowess and eagerly anticipating the evening that lie ahead—but as he continued his walk, Shuichi began to experience that all too familiar sensation that he was being watched. It certainly put a heavy damper on his temperament, immediately taking him from a place of comfortable ease to one of defensive concern.

Instinctively, he maintained his causal composure, all the while carefully monitoring his surroundings, searching for evidence to support his perception of danger. He found nothing plausible, but knew from many of his previous experiences that the lack of physical indication meant nothing—it would be foolish to allow such findings to lure him into a fall sense of security, so he remained alert as he pressed onward.

The impression that he was under watchful scrutiny only intensified as Shuichi continued with his journey—in vain, he searched for something concrete, a strange aura, a sudden flux in energy, anything that would assist him in pinpointing the direction that such inspection was hailing from. His stride came to a pause when he had to wait for the crosswalk to permit safe passage across a busy intersection—he took the opportunity to scan the horizon, and in doing so, was able to locate something that appeared out of place.

There was a man within the small crowd of fellow travelers that had joined the ranks during their mutual venture through the city streets—he appeared normal enough, dark hair, dark eyes, pale complexion. He would have easily blended in with the throng, save for one thing: he was wearing a bright pink raincoat over his business attire. The weather for that day was brisk but sunny, without any mention of a chance for rain in the morning news—in fact, upon taking a closer look, Shuichi noted that there wasn't a single cloud in the sky to speak of.

While the realization struck him as odd, Shuichi was still unsure if this oddly dressed man was the culprit in question. But after passing several more blocks, all of which the man failed to turn on, his suspicions began to intensify. When Shuichi turned the corner onto the avenue that hosted his objective, his strange companion followed, albeit with a fair amount of space left between them. Knowing that his destination lingered close, he decided to test the waters when he came upon a vacant bus bench about halfway down the storefront lined block. Shuichi quickly claimed a spot and withdrew his phone from his pocket, going through the motions of acting as if he were typing up a message. The man in the vividly colored raincoat approached slowly, his footsteps hesitant, as if he were unsure to proceed.

Shuichi waited patiently, poised to strike if necessary—much to his surprise, the man slowly lowered himself onto the bench, effectively claiming the seat next to Shuichi. For a brief moment, the two parties made eye contact—at such close proximity, his scent flooded Shuichi's sensitive olfactory senses. While the smell was almost entirely mortal, there was something present within that gamey aroma that was decidedly apparition. Shuichi knew without a shadow of a doubt that his intuition had indeed been correct—and judging by the scent, the demon in question was small, and not exceptionally powerful. A parasite demon, most likely, or perhaps a traveler demon, whose true form was similar to that of a mangy alley cat when they weren't piggybacking off of another sentient creature. Regardless, Shuichi's concern quickly grew lax, as he understood he was not under any sort of immediate threat.

"You know, when borrowing a human body, you tend to assimilate much easier with the correct form of dress," he offered dryly to his unanticipated companion, which prompted the man to sigh heavily in defeat.

"I like the color," he retorted in a strange, childish voice that didn't not match the form he was currently inhabiting. "These humans, they have clothes for everything! It's so…unnecessary!"

"Who are you, and why are you following me?" Shuichi immediately asked, dropping all manner of pleasantry from his tone. Despite having calmed down some, he still was unsure of his companion's motives, and that was enough to keep him alert.

"My name is Yorisou, I am a courier—I come forth from Demon World, bearing a message from our master, King Hiei," the man offered quickly, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender to placate any defensive urges Shuichi might have been entertaining. "But first, he said to tell you that 'rock beats scissors, but it's moronic that paper beats rock'—he said you'd know what that means, and that you'd know I was telling the truth because of it…"

His words fell unexpectedly upon Shuichi's ears—it had been quite some time since he had last spoken with his old friend. In fact, their last conversation had occurred during the conclusion of the second Makai Tournament, shortly after Hiei's coronation. The statement he had bestowed upon his messenger to share was a reference back to the time Shuichi had attempted to teach Hiei how to play _Janken_, the simple game of paper-rock-scissors—Hiei hadn't been a fan of the pastime, and had grown furious over the idea that something as weak as paper could win over a rock. It had seemed like a simple, mindless conversation at the time, but Hiei had been clever enough to include it a safety phrase with his underling—the fire apparition was more than privy to the way Shuichi's mind operated, and had anticipated his friend's innate distrust of a fellow apparition claiming to contact him on his behalf.

For Hiei to reach out in such a manner meant two things—one, he was busy. Hiei was never one to depend on others for anything, and that included relaying messages; for him to entrust this duty into the hands of another meant that he could not afford to leave behind his work to make the trip himself. The second reason was necessity—whatever matter Hiei desired to consult with him on was pressing, and needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later. This alarmed Shuichi, but he maintained his composure, deciding it best to not worry until he acquired more information.

"And what is this message?"

Yorisou gestured towards the pocket of his raincoat, keeping his hands locked in a position of yielding. Without hesitation, Shuichi dug into the pocket, quickly withdrawing a small glass orb that glowed faintly, seeming to resonate with silent power—it was a spirit of words, a popular form of communication among apparitions. The message was shared directly via the sender's voice and produced in such a way that only the intended receiver could hear it. He hadn't seen one such correspondence in many years, not since Yomi had reached out to him and requested his assistance in the conflict that would later be solved by the first Makai Tournament. The message lived within, only to be shared when the glass was shattered. Without hesitation, he tucked it into the pocket of his slacks, and then fixed his companion with a mild smile.

"Thank you, Yorisou. I'll listen to it shortly," Shuichi offered quietly, rising to his feet and securing his phone in the opposing pocket of his pants. He resumed his walk once more, making it only several yards away before hearing a startled cry ring out from the bench.

"Why the heck am I wearing my wife's raincoat?!" the man shouted, but in a voice that matched him far better than the one he had previously spoken in. Yorisou had obviously taken his leave, no longer requiring the vessel he had occupied—if there were a wager at stake, Shuichi would bet that the traveling demon was already well on his way to the other realm. Small creatures they were, but decidedly swift, able to hop at impressive speeds that mere human sight could not detect. Shuichi easily ignored the outburst, as comedic as it was, and continued on his way. He purposely passed the entrance to Art House, instead opting to make the next turn down a narrow alleyway.

Once he was absolutely certain that he was alone, Shuichi withdrew the glass orb from its holding place—after a brief moment of hesitation, he tossed the delicate container at the concrete wall, using little force. As expected, it immediately shattered upon impact, seeming to spill a strange, opaque liquid forth from the site of collision. This fluid began to morph, coming to draw a faint outline on the bare surface with gradual but precise movement—within seconds, a fair rendering of Hiei rested against the exterior, complete with his typical scowl of contempt stretched across his lips.

"Kurama," the message began, clear and concise, spoken in the voice of his friend. To hear his old name spoken so brazenly send a shiver of discontentment racing down the length of his spine, although he had expected such a thing. Unlike Yusuke, who genuinely attempted to address him correctly but on occasion made an honest mistake, Hiei refused to call him by his other alias. He believed Shuichi's desire to live a human life was a foolish endeavor that was ultimately bound to fail—while his friend's blunt opinion of his intentions left a sour taste in his mouth, Shuichi knew that Hiei truly did not mean anything malicious. He was simply a creature of habit, with strong beliefs and an unwavering attitude. He had never taken to the Human World or embraced the mortals who inhabited it—in Hiei's eyes, humans were weak willed and useless creatures, and for Shuichi to wish to abandon his demon namesake and live as one of them was something he could not understand or accept. Under normal circumstances, this plight should have very well put a considerable damper on their friendship of many years, but due to their extensive history, Shuichi believed it best to just leave things be—he had no desire to fight a losing battle, and when it came to Hiei believing that he was correct, there was no hope for victory.

"I know it's been some time since we've spoken, and I hope this message finds you well."

The very first sentence of the correspondence had Shuichi chuckling—it was easy to him to tell that those were not words chosen by Hiei—he wasn't one for sentiment in nearly any capacity. Perhaps Mukuro had assisted him in the construction of the message—while she and Hiei shared similar personalities, she was certainly the more diplomatic of the pair, and with her previous experience as a ruler over her own vast territory, she was no stranger to the subtle art of manipulative niceties.

"I have several urgent matters that I need to confer with you on immediately—I will be awaiting your arrival within Kinzoku this evening. Don't make me wait long." The words quickly died out, signaling the conclusion of the message. The sketch of Hiei swiftly disappeared, appearing to melt off of the wall and evaporate into nothing within mere seconds.

A deeply set sigh of defeat escaped Shuichi—now, those were definitely Hiei selected phrases; short and uncomplicated. Of course, a bit more detail on what said urgent matters were about would have been nice, but the lack of information did not come as a shock—forgoing such a thing only further baited the hook, which assured that Shuichi would make the journey into the neighboring realm to learn more. Of course, this sudden endeavor meant that he would have to forgo his plans with Davina—while he wasn't particularly happy about having to cancel their impending evening, he knew that he had little choice in the matter. Hopefully, she would understand—he would have to devise a solid story for his sudden termination, knowing that he couldn't very well share the truth.

Safe to say, Shuichi knew that she would be disappointed, regardless of whatever reasoning he provided. After some consideration, he decided to put off sharing the unanticipated change in plans with Davina—Shuichi wanted to wait until the conclusion of her final class, since it was the one she had her exam in, to ensure that she wasn't distracted by the unpleasant news. It also allotted him some time to create a viable excuse to use.

After checking his wristwatch, Shuichi realized that his free time was quickly coming to a close, and that it would be best for him to begin the return venture to campus. Despite the time concerns, he still slipped into Art House for a short period, if only to glance around and briefly take in the environment. Judging by what he saw, it was certainly a place Davina would appreciate, so he added it to his mental list of potential locations for future outings. Following his scouting, Shuichi made the walk back to his university and arrived with enough time to grab a snack before heading to his next class.

By the end of the period, he had decided to use his mother not feeling well as a justification for his desertion of their plans. And when the correct time came around, Shuichi sent the apologetic text message to its intended receiver, unable to quell the mildly guilty feeling he was entertaining. There were still the plans for tomorrow to look forward to, even if they wouldn't be afforded much privacy then. But it was a chance to spend time in each other's company, and that was enough to inspire anticipation.

Shuichi was readying himself to make the venture over to the portal that would lead him to his destination within the Demon Realm when a response came in from Davina. Even though it was reassuring and kind, with well wishes for his mother's health and a tentative hope that he would still be able to meet up for the following day's plans, he could almost taste the frustration that hung behind her words—it was a feeling he knew well enough, for he had felt the same way when it was made clear that he was needed elsewhere. He had little doubt in his mind that, if things had gone as originally plotted, the evening would have taken a very…interesting turn, to say the least.

But Shuichi forced himself to shake such thoughts, knowing that they would only serve to distract him when he truly needed to stay alert. Even with the protective laws in place, there were still a number of things that could prove problematic during his journey into the neighboring realm, and he didn't want to be caught off guard.

The journey into the Demon Realm was a fairly simple one—there were a number of portals that linked both planes together, and Shuichi ventured to the one nearest to him to make his way over. Comically enough, the most convenient gateway was located down near the Kaiden docks, not far from the pier storage house that Yusuke and Hiei had experienced their first confrontation a number of years ago. Shuichi remembered that night well—he still bore a scar across the length of his belly from where Hiei had stabbed him with the Sword of Shadows, an attack that had been intended for Yusuke but that Shuichi had interrupted in an effort to thwart Hiei's sinister plans.

Reminiscing about such events almost prompted Shuichi to chuckle—it had certainly been a hellacious start to what later became true comradery. Time had undoubtedly changed them all in a number of ways, but the majority of it had been for the better, or so Shuichi believed. Without much fuss, he located the threshold and swiftly passed through it, making his way across the empty, dim pseudo-space with a causal stride. Within seconds, Shuichi emerged within his mother realm, greeted by skies of crimson and purple, the all too familiar aromas of ash, blood, and the unique musk of the world itself weaving together and flooding his nostrils.

After taking a moment to get his bearings, Shuichi began the endeavor to his destination, the city of Kinzoku—it sat in near the center of what had once been Mukuro's territory during her reign among the trio of self proclaimed kings. It was similar in size to that of Gandara, but more rural, despite its impressive collection of advanced technology. While the journey wasn't a particularly arduous one, it still took him the better part of an hour to reach the city gates—he had passed several villages along the way, but apart from a few curious glances, Shuichi hadn't received much notice. He was grateful for the lack of interest—the last thing he wanted to do was attract attention to himself. Despite his transition, there were still vast numbers of demons who knew him as his former self, and plenty of them still desired a confrontation over real or imagined slights. It wasn't that he feared the chance of altercation, he just simply didn't want to get held up because of it.

The gates were opening as he approached, and he slipped through with barely a nod from one of the guards posted there—it was obvious that his presence was expected. As he delved into the city, he could feel the proverbial shadow of Hiei's aura nearby and followed it closely. Much to Shuichi's surprise, it wasn't within the Shiryoku Palace that he came upon his old friend, but rather an isolated tower at the opposing edge of the Kinzoku. Quickly, he climbed the spiral of stairs up several floors, exiting into an atrium that fed into a small chamber with a wide, yawning window. The room was entirely empty, save for Hiei's modest form, which was clad in all black with a long cloak to match. His white headband hid away his Jagan Eye from sight, carefully tied at the back of his head.

"It's about time you showed up," the master of the Jagan Eye offered sternly, but his tone was almost lighthearted.

"My apologies for making you wait, your majesty," Shuichi retorted, mild amusement clear in his voice—a smirk gathered on his companion's lips as he spoke. "I came as quickly as I could to sort out the urgent matters you failed to provide any details on."

"Hn. We can get to that now that you're here. As you know, Yukina will be visiting Human World for several weeks. She's staying with the moronic oaf and his sister," Hiei announced distastefully, obviously referencing Kazuma—despite the years spent in each other's company, the pair had never grown even somewhat fond of one another. At best, Hiei and Kuwabara tolerated each other, and even that explanation was generous. The fact that Kazuma harbored feelings for his twin sister only worsened Hiei's contempt towards him. Of course, the wielder of the Spirit Sword still had no clue that his beloved Yukina was related to the ornery fire apparition, and Hiei sought to keep it that way. "I'd appreciate if you kept an eye on her. And if that loudmouthed buffoon tries anything uncouth, I'll slice him to ribbons and feed his remains to the scavengers."

"Will do," Shuichi replied, attempting to avoid the urge to roll his eyes at his companion's harsh threat. Kazuma was an honorable man, and truly laden with good intentions—even Hiei was aware of that. To even picture him trying to push anything improper on Yukina was a laughable thought—he'd fall on his own sword before ever daring to do such a thing. "Although you realize that you could have simply made this request through the spirit of words you went through such pains to send me earlier and saved me a trip." He couldn't curb the annoyance that hung in his voice—he had forsaken a night in Davina's company to make this visit, and all over something that could have easily been distantly communicated.

"That's only the first matter I needed to discuss with you," Hiei retorted dryly, crossing his arms across the narrow expanse of his chest. "This next one is the real reason why I asked you here." His tone suddenly grew almost harsh. "You do know that the decree against causing mischief in the mortal realm is still in place, don't you, Kurama?"

Shuichi's eyes narrowed, put off by both the use of his previous name and the unanticipated alteration of Hiei's voice.

"I'm aware of that, yes," he responded swiftly, quirking a curious brow in the king's direction.

"Then why were you recently using your abilities to manipulate a human?" Hiei asked bluntly, his crimson eyes digging hard into Shuichi. "You know it violates the law, regardless of whatever your intentions were."

There was only one way in which Hiei could be privy to his actions, and the realization made Shuichi's spine grow rigid with righteous fury.

"I didn't realize that you were keeping me under surveillance," he replied calmly, despite the venom that lurked behind his words.

"It's not consistent," Hiei admitted quietly. "It's more of an insurance policy than anything. You and Yusuke wouldn't be of much use to me if something bad happened."

As always with Hiei, Shuichi had to read between the lines, and felt some of his anger quell at the fire apparition's explanation—he would never admit to caring, but by keeping an eye on them from a distance, his actions spoke volumes. The realization actually caused Shuichi to smirk.

"And here I thought you weren't the sentimental type, Hiei."

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you, fox," the king snapped back, his eye twitching with sudden irritation. "I can still have you charged with breaking the decree, if I chose to. So explain yourself."

A loud sigh of protest escaped Shuichi—he hardly wanted to have this conversation, but he knew that it would be best to placate his friend, lest he end up in actually trouble.

"Very well. The human in question is a friend," he began, opting to keep his account as brief as possible. "We attend university together. A few weeks ago, she was approached by an Aoiashi, who gifted her a stone that hailed from this realm. After doing some research, she discovered a link between her family and apparitions—it terrified her. I used the Fuzai Kioku to remove those memories so that she would forget such things and be able to live in peace."

Hiei remained silent for a long moment as he considered his companion's story.

"How noble of you," he remarked blithely, fixing Shuichi with a pointed stare that suggested he knew that there was more to be told, but wasn't eager to push. "And how fortunate for your…friend. But what will you do if the Aoiashi reappears? If the girl has connections here, and they want to communicate with her, you know better than most that there is no way of stopping them."

"Perhaps that is something you can assist me with—she mentioned the name Kurosuna before I doctored her. Is the name familiar at all?"

"No. But I have ways of finding out who they are."

"So, you'll help me, then?"

Slowly, Hiei nodded his head in agreement. "I suppose it's for the better. I can't have you causing havoc in the Human World over some mortal female. I'll see what I can learn, and pass it along. In the mean time, keep it together. Remember, I pushed to keep that law in place—if anyone else learns that one of my closest associates is openly violating it, there will be hell to pay."

"Agreed. I will tread carefully. You have my appreciation, Hiei," Shuichi replied, the tension in his back growing lax as relief flowed throughout the length of his body. "Was there anything else?"

"Yes—not that I care, or that it's any of my business, but you tell the former detective that I said infidelity when you are committed to someone is an unforgivable offense."

"Infidelity? Yusuke?" Shuichi questioned, his eyes growing wide at the realization of what Hiei was conveying. "You mean to tell me that he…"

"Not yet, no," Hiei admitted scornfully. "But it's going in that direction. Mukuro believes that he'll give into temptation any day now—in fact, we've placed stakes on it. She's plotting to bring him serious bodily harm the next time he visits if he breaks his loyalty. Consider this a fair warning."

"I will speak to him," Shuichi agreed, finding it somewhat difficult to digest the information he had just be provided. While he had believed that Yusuke and Keiko's relationship was ultimately doomed to fail, it was hard to believe that the Mazoku would desert his honor and break the bond that held them together in such a cruel manner. He also knew that his interjection into his friend's personal affairs would be most unwelcomed, but he felt compelled to at least attempt to move him away from a dubious path.

"It was good to see you," Hiei offered, then promptly turned his back to Shuichi, his cloak billowing out behind him in light of his sudden movement.

"And you," Shuichi countered, knowing he had been dismissed. He headed for the exit, pausing at the mouth of the staircase to glance back over his shoulder—Hiei had already vanished from sight, leaving him to his own devices. Quickly, Shuichi took his leave of Kinzoku, and returned to the Human World as swiftly as he could. A soft sigh of relief escaped him as he stepped through the portal and once more found himself near the Kaiden docks. A brief glance at his watch informed him that it was just after nine—he considered sending a text message to Yusuke, but quickly decided against it. With such sensitive subject matter to discuss, it was something much better done in person, and with their plans for the following afternoon, Shuichi decided he would make an attempt then.

As he made the walk back to his home, Shuichi was stricken with the urge to text Davina, but again, opted to forgo such a thing. It was best to just wait until tomorrow—perhaps there was enough time between the disappointment of the evening and the commencement of the afternoon's events to calm whatever negativity she was likely harboring towards him. He hoped that there was—he certainly was eager to redeem himself, after all.

*Author's Note: Thank you to darkangelsasha for the add to favorites! This chapter kind of surprised me with how eager it was to be written, hence why it's being shared a few days earlier than originally anticipated. If the universe and my creative muse are kind, I might have yet another new chapter by Halloween to share with you lovelies. As always, feedback is much appreciated! Thank you all!


	15. Chapter 15 - Anticipation

It was just after nine when Davina awoke the next morning, still a resident of her couch—the multitude of pillows she had surrounded herself with the evening before were strewn all about, with several having fallen onto the floor. Her favorite blanket had been kicked astray as she slept, and was twisted into an odd lump by her bare feet. Her phone sat abandoned atop the coffee table, alongside a collection of tattered snack wrappers and a duo of empty glass soda bottles. The television had remained on, due to her descent into slumber—the device hovered on the title menu of the second part of the _Godfather_ trilogy. A young Al Pacino gazed vacantly forth from the options screen, appearing vaguely confused. It was a look that mirrored Davina's own perplexity—she couldn't recall when exactly during the film she had fallen asleep, but knew for certain that it had been well into the early hours of the morning before she had finally succumbed to her fatigue.

Her plot to distract herself from unavoidable frustration with a series of violent, dramatic movies had proven to be fairly successful—however, despite this clever diversion, Davina still found herself checking her phone sporadically throughout the night, silently hoping for another message from Shuichi. Every time she dared to look, the disappointment hit a little harder upon the realization that there was nothing awaiting her eager gaze. She'd made it through the full three hours of _Casino_ before attempting such a glance, and then gave it until the conclusion of _Goodfellas_ until she was curious enough to check again. Once more, she was met with naught, and she delved into _Scarface_ with a heavy sigh, tossing her phone back onto the surface of the table before her with a mildly resounding thud.

There was no reason to suspect that Shuichi would text her—his last correspondence set forth no expectations for further communication, and yet, Davina couldn't help but entertain some brief sense of optimism that he would reach out once more. Sour thoughts continued to poison her, prompting her mind to consider all sort of ill mannered atrocities. His sudden abandonment of their plans just seemed too convenient in the grand scheme of things, and yet, she knew that Shuichi had no reason to be dishonest with her. And even if it was a fabricated excuse, Davina knew that she lacked the audacity to call him out on such a thing—for one, she had no concrete evidence to support her suspicions. Two, if his justification for cancelling turned out to be a viable one, it would reflect poorly on her, and odds were it would encourage Shuichi to keep his distance and lose the desire to pursue anything further with her. That was something she truly wished to avoid, given how much she genuinely enjoyed his presence.

Davina knew herself well enough to realize that her currently wary mental state was a direct result of previous trauma involving a prior lover, and that, to some extent, she was being rather unfair—there also remained the fact that she and Shuichi were only friends, not romantically linked to one another…at least, not yet. To place the wrong-doings of another on the shoulders of someone who had only treated her kindly was sordid and unjust, and quite frankly, it made her feel like an absolute asshole. By the completion of _Scarface_, Davina had ultimately decided to push aside her pessimistic inclinations, knowing that nothing good would come of them if she allowed them to remain. At least until he had given her reason to consider that he harbored ill intentions, she would permit Shuichi the benefit of the doubt, swallow her wounded pride, and make an honest effort not to let events from her past poison her.

Coming to this conclusion did manage to somewhat calm Davina's troubled mind, and she finally managed to relax in the midst of the first installment of _The Godfather_. By the end of part one, she was actually sleepy, the bulk of the irritation that had been keeping her awake having dissipated alongside the tension she had been carrying around on her neck and shoulders. She began part two, reclaiming her position among her pillows upon the couch and snuggling back into the inviting warmth of her blanket. Soon, Davina begin to nod off, lulled to sleep by the soft music as it echoed alongside the film.

Exhaustion proved to be a blessing in disguise, and it was a deep, dreamless sleep that held Davina in its grasp for a number of hours, until she roused of her own accord. A loud groan escaped her as her eyes narrowed into a pained wince—she blinked them several times to clear way the residual traces of sleep, yawning loudly as she pushed herself to sit up. Despite a tumultuous evening, she felt surprisingly well rested. Following a brief minute of silent consideration, she decided to get up rather than mill about, opting to officially start her day with a long shower—if nothing else, it would wash away any remaining traces born of the previous night's dissatisfaction and provide her with a fresh start to her day.

In truth Davina still wasn't sure what to expect for the day ahead—as far as she knew, the plan to meet up with Kazuma, his girlfriend, and his group of friends for the afternoon was still in place. Vaguely, she wondered if Shuichi would be joining them as previously discussed, given his unexpected situation—given the less-than-satisfying results of the prior evening, Davina thought it best not to get her hopes up. She had already been disappointed enough for one weekend, and wasn't eager to add more fuel to that particular fire. Even if Shuichi was absent, Davina owed it to herself to make the effort to have a good time—this was her opportunity to forge some new friendships, and she wanted to make the best of things.

Heading into the washroom, Davina started the shower, allowing the water several minutes to heat up to a delightfully hot temperature that was just short of scalding. While she waited, she cued up some music on her phone, syncing up to the waterproof Bluetooth speaker that sat on one of the wall shelves. She pressed the play button and began to shrug off her soiled clothing just as the distinctive piano rift of _Alone_ by Heart flooded the enclosed, tile lined space. Davina couldn't help but chuckle at the random selection—the playlist she had chosen was a true mishmash of everything, and for it to kick off with that particular song was an amusing but almost eerie coincidence. Regardless of the unwitting symbolism it held for real life, it was one of her favorite songs, and Davina stepped into the hearty stream of heated water, happily singing along with the words.

_"__I hear the tickin' of the clock, I'm lyin' here, the room's pitch dark…  
I wonder where you are tonight, no answer on the telephone…  
And the night goes by so very slow…  
Oh, I hope that it won't end, though…  
Alone…"_

While Davina wasn't much of a singer, she had a fairly decent set of vocals—even still, her voice cracked when trying to hit the hit notes that followed the chorus of the song. It didn't discourage her—everyone knew that the shower served as a collective of useful things: a place to get clean, a sanctuary to do some deep, meaningful thinking, and a private karaoke soundstage where one could perform without shame. She took full advantage of this fact and belted out the words as she began to shampoo her lengthy copper hair.

_"'__Till now, I always got by on my own…  
I never really cared until I met you…  
And now it chills me to the bone…  
How do I get you alone?  
How do I get you alone?"_

For the better part of an hour, Davina remained an occupant of the washroom, taking her time washing her hair, her body, and shaving the places that required such attention. She continued to sing along with the music, making it through Aerosmith's _Rag Doll_ and _Maneater_ by Hall and Oates before her playlist suddenly skipped from eighties jams to Broadway musicals, peppering in Kristin Chenoweth's version of _Popular_ from _Wicked_ (of which she sang every single word without so much as an inkling of indignity, even though she related far more to the socially inept character of Elphaba rather than Glinda in all her vapid glory, and most of the higher notes were painfully off key) as well as the movie-version of _La Vie Boheme_ from _Rent_ (where she preferred to sing as many parts as she possibly could, although the excerpts performed by the character, Mark Cohen, as portrayed by Anthony Rapp were her favorites—given his high baritone vocal range, she could sing said parts pretty well).

The water was just beginning to grow cool when Davina finally rinsed off the last of her body wash. Just as she turned the faucet off, _Trouble_ by Pink began to pour into the room, causing her to laugh out loud as a memory with her best friend immediately surfaced within her mind—Selina was absolutely obsessed with the pop artist, and had been since they were kids. _Trouble_ was one of her favorite songs from among the artist's compendium, not just for the song itself, but for the music video that accompanied it. Complete with campy old wild-west fashion, several bar fights, and a ridiculously hot sheriff, Davina could certainly understand why Selina appreciated it as much as she did. It had been played during many a sleepover, and her dear friend, who loved to dance but regrettably was not blessed in the art of such movement, would always try to do this awkward little wiggle to the beat that she though looked inviting—to Davina, it looked like she was in the midst of receiving a mild electrical shock.

As they grew, Selina had ultimately given up on trying to perfect said dance move, eventually ceasing her attempts at dancing to the song entirely, but it was the kind of thing that stuck with a person, even over the years. Each and every time Davina heard that particular song, the memory immediately resurfaced, and she couldn't help but laugh. But now, it was a bittersweet moment—again, she found herself missing her best friend immensely. No one could ever replace Selina, but Davina longed for similar companionship.

A heavy sigh fled her lips as Davina dried her hair and carefully wrapped it in a towel, leaving it to rest atop her head as she took a second towel and wiped away at her damp skin. After applying some apple scented lotion, Davina slipped into a short black cotton robe and left the washroom once she had reclaimed her phone—with a push of a button, she silenced the music that poured through the speaker just before the next song on the playlist could commence. As her ears adjusted to the new found quiet of her surroundings, she headed into the kitchen, intent on making some coffee. Her mood was already considerably better than it had been prior to her shower, and a healthy dose of caffeine would only further said improvement.

Once armed with a fresh cup of hot brew, Davina perched at the small dining table that sat alongside the kitchen. She had just taken her first sip when her phone, which she had left over on the countertop alongside the coffee maker, suddenly vibrated, signaling the arrival of a text. Upon a quick inspection, she discovered it hailed from Kazuma, and promptly opened the message to read. It was a group correspondence, sent to multiple recipients including both herself as well as Shuichi, but also to several other numbers she did not recognize.

That realization sent a sudden wave of apprehension washing over her—Kazuma hadn't specified just how many of his friends would be tagging along for the outing, and, judging by the collective of unfamiliar digits present in the message, it was to be a considerable handful. It didn't matter how mentally prepared Davina was, meeting new people, especially in large group settings, always tended to make her feel somewhat nervous. But she couldn't allow herself to give into her timidity and cancel—she was determined to see things through, regardless of how uncomfortable it could be to get the ball rolling.

The text simply read '_Akaitsuru 12?_' Davina recognized the name of the location almost immediately—it was a pizza restaurant within the downtown area of Kaiden, not far from the Koeda Café. She had walked past it a number of times, but had yet to give it a try. A swift glance at the time informed her that it was only about a quarter after ten, which gave her plenty of time to finish readying herself and head the way of their intended destination. She responded favorably, then put her phone back down, deciding to leave it be until she was ready to venture out. Only one she had consumed her coffee did she feel prepared enough to tackle the task of getting ready—with a slight spring in her step, Davina headed into her bedroom, intent on finding something appropriate to wear for the outing that awaited her.

. . .

Despite feeling rather tired upon his return home from the neighboring realm, Shuichi had a difficult time falling asleep. Even after a relaxing shower and a cup of calming chamomile tea, he still found himself restless, tossing and turning fruitlessly within the warmth of his bed. He wasn't sure when sleep finally came to claim him, but when his morning alarm echoed across the modest expanse of his bedroom in what seemed like only moments after his eyes had finally closed, he was far from pleased. His exhaustion lingered even as he readied himself for work, dreading his arrival at the café—Saturday mornings were notoriously busy, for the majority of customers who patronized his step father's establishment did not have academic or work obligations and desired a sit-down dining experience as opposed to their usual grab-and-go practices. This sudden influx of dine-in patrons made things much more hectic, and it would remain as such for the entire four hour duration of his shift.

It was with a heavy sigh of sheer defeat that Shuichi left his room and headed for the door, walking carefully as to remain quiet—his mother and Kokoda were still asleep, and he openly envied them for it. Kazuya had already left the house, far before Shuichi's alarm had disrupted his broken sleep—as per his routine, his step-father arrived at the café at dawn on Saturdays, using the time to bake fresh pastries and prepare as best he could for the impending rush. Such methods certainly proved useful, as they ensured an overall smooth service for the busy morning, minus a mild inconvenience or two along the way.

During the short walk that separated home from work, Shuichi took the opportunity to shoot a quick text over to Yusuke, asking him to meet up with him at the café around noon, when his shift was scheduled to end. He cited that they needed to speak, and emphasized heavily that Yusuke should come alone. Shuichi sent the message along, knowing it would be some time before he received a response, if he received one at all.

For one thing, Yusuke was not at all a morning person—he was a heavy sleeper who slumbered with the depth of a hibernating bear, and would only awaken early when absolutely necessary (which translated to when he was forced to—Shuichi recalled with mild humor the days they had spent training at Genkai's compound prior to the Dark Tournament; the old psychic had made devising creative methods in which to rouse her successor a game of sorts, one she thoroughly enjoyed and her protégé thoroughly loathed. Among the most memorable of tools the utilized included a boulder the size of a small car, a cast iron skillet, and a megaphone capable of reaching painfully high decibel levels). As such, it would be a while before his friend was coherent enough to check his messages.

Even once he had seen the text, it was debatable if Yusuke would bother to reply. By requesting a conversation and asking him to make the venture alone, it might prompt a red flag that the subject matter Shuichi wished to discuss was problematic, which would undoubtedly cause Yusuke to avoid even acknowledging the correspondence. Of course, the Mazoku had no way of knowing that Shuichi had been made aware of his impending transgression, and that worked in his favor. Regardless, the conversation would be had, whether it was sooner or later—Shuichi hoped for the former, as he wished to avoid as much negative fallout as possible. It was to be an unpleasant endeavor either way, but if he could avoid Mukuro harboring a vendetta against Yusuke, that would be ideal.

Upon his arrival to the Koeda Café, a line of eager customers had already formed just outside the doors—there still remained a near twenty minutes before the café was set to open. Shuichi stealthily made his way around towards the rear entrance and slipped inside, careful not to draw attention to himself. He got to work immediately on the remaining opening procedures, and by the time the doors were unlocked and the first wave rushed in, Shuichi was as ready as he possibly could be, given his lack of decent rest and desire to be far away from his current location. The single upside to being insanely busy was that time passed by swiftly—it was nearly half past eleven when Shuichi was finally gifted a brief interlude, which he used to grab a glass of water and check his phone for notifications. There were several awaiting his attention, so he clicked on the one that had been the first to arrive, well over an hour prior.

The text, which hailed from Kazuma and hosted a group of other recipients, many of whose names were already saved within the memory of his phone, offered a brief inquiry for future plans: '_Akaitsuru 12?_'

Shuichi was fond of that particular restaurant, which was known for its Neapolitan-style pizza. He was quick to notice that Davina had already replied with her intention to be there, which prompted him to crack a minute smile. In truth, Shuichi had been somewhat concerned that she would suddenly cancel her plans to attend, which would mean yet another night he would miss out on the opportunity to see her. But the affirmation that she would indeed be there quelled that worry, at least, for the most part. Vaguely, he wondered if she would be short with him when they encountered each other later—it was glaringly apparent that she had been perturbed with him over his sudden cancellation the night before, despite her well wishes. In spite of whatever her reaction towards him was, Shuichi had every intention of making his unanticipated absence up to her, although he had yet to devise how he would accomplish such a thing.

After confirming his intention of participating, Shuichi scrolled onward to the next text, his eyes eagerly racing over the content. To his mild surprise, Yusuke had not only read his message, but had responded agreeably, nearly an hour prior. Keiko was already in the company of Botan, Yukina, and Shizuru for the morning—apparently, the girls had wanted to go shopping prior to everyone convening for lunch, so Yusuke would be flying solo until then. He agreed to meet Shuichi over at the café by the conclusion of his shift without any complaint or protest, which came as a relief. Of course, getting him there was only half the battle—Shuichi wasn't eager for the unpleasant conversation that was to follow, but he was committed to the attempt for the sake of keeping relative peace.

The third and last of the messages that awaited his consideration hailed directly from Davina, which only fed into his astonishment. Shuichi certainly hadn't anticipated such a thing, but he was relieved to see it—perhaps she wasn't as infuriated with him as he had feared….or maybe she was just playing nice. Either way, it played to his benefit, and he wasn't one to ask unnecessary questions in the face of good fortune.

'_Hope your mom is doing better today—maybe I'll see you later?_' the message read—Shuichi could almost hear the tentative hope behind her gentle inquiry and couldn't help but smile. The text had come in only about twenty minutes prior—even though he had already replied within the group message, Shuichi took a moment to type up a personal response for her, knowing that she would appreciate the effort.

_'__She's doing much better, thank you. You will definitely be seeing me. Hopefully, you're looking forward to it—I know I am.' _

He had no sooner clicked the button to send the message along that his step-father called out his name, requesting his assistance at the counter. Knowing that only a mere thirty minutes remained between him and much desired freedom only encouraged him to persevere. The last of his shift passed quickly, and Shuichi was in the midst of removing his apron when Yusuke strolled into the café. They pair locked eyes and simultaneously waved a silent greeting to one another—Yusuke paused his stride, opting to linger by the exit while Shuichi completed his task and clocked out, offering a quick goodbye to his step-father before making his way over to where his friend awaited him.

"Busy morning?" Yusuke asked casually as he fell into step behind Shuichi and followed him through the exit.

"Saturday mornings always are rather chaotic," Shuichi offered with a short smile. "I appreciate you meeting me."

"Yeah, well, usually when someone tells me we need to talk, it's Kuwabara and it's about some touchy feely crap, so..."

"That's not why I asked you here," Shuichi replied, his voice suddenly stern as he paused in his stride, only a few feet away from the café's entrance, and turned around to make direct eye contact with his companion. "I'll be frank with you, Yusuke. I was summoned by Hiei last night, and went to pay him a visit."

Yusuke quirked a curious brow at this admission, but remained silent—he held Shuichi's stare without flinching, even as his shoulders involuntarily squared up.

"And how is the King of Demonworld doing these days?" the Mazoku asked nonchalantly, although there was now a strange deviation in his scent that Shuichi picked up almost immediately—it was an unappetizing smell, like sour sweat clinging to grimy skin, a pungent odor that he easily recognized as a byproduct born of guilt. Such a reaction came across as being a touch premature, but further solidified the information Hiei had previously shared with Shuichi—Yusuke was definitely involved in something he shouldn't have been. Given the context of their talk so far, he had easily put two and two together, understanding then that Hiei was aware of his not so innocent activities and had informed Shuichi of his actions.

"He's doing well—staying busy, of course. He informed me that you've also been rather busy, although in a different sense." Shuichi simply got right to the point—there was little use in attempting to be vague or sugarcoat the situation.

A short sigh escaped Shuichi's companion at this admission, and he immediately withdrew his gaze, opting instead to stare off into the distance as a mild scowl formed across his lips.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised that he's been keeping tabs…look, it's not like that. She's just a friend. We haven't done anything bad," Yusuke offered loosely, but the defensive tone of his voice was plain as day. The smell of shame swiftly grew more potent, even as he attempted to shrug off the accusation. "I don't get why Hiei had to stick his nose into this crap and get you involved…"

"Apparently, your actions have caught Mukuro's attention," Shuichi announced bluntly, which prompted Yusuke's eyes to widen in surprise. "Safe to say, she disapproves."

"So what?"

"She's made threats to punish you should you act out of turn—given her association with Hiei, being in poor standing with her could cause a multitude of issues for you, Yusuke. It's simply not wise to encourage such a grudge."

"You act like I can't kick her ass if I needed to," Yusuke replied sourly, irritation clear cut across his visage. Shuichi fought the urge to groan at his pigheadedness despite having anticipated such a thing.

"You must consider the bigger picture, Yusuke," Shuichi counseled, keeping his tone firm but encouraging. "This goes beyond a simple physical altercation, and you know that. If you're unhappy, just end things with Keiko and move on—the only thing that is prompting Mukuro's ire against you is the dishonesty of your actions. It's remedied easily enough."

"Except it's not," Yusuke retorted, his rigid stance deflating considerably as he reclaimed Shuichi's unwavering gaze. "Keiko is involved in every part of my life—if I end things with her, shit's going to get real ugly, real fast."

Shuichi knew his statement held merit, but found himself unwilling to encourage further poor behavior.

"Yusuke, if you aren't satisfied with your relationship, you're doing not only a disservice to yourself by staying in it, but one to Keiko as well," he said, his tone softening some. "Of course, certain things will change, but if you're already unhappy, then perhaps change will do you well."

"Yeah…it's not like I haven't thought about it," his companion admitted quietly, slipping his hands into the deep pockets of his worn blue jeans. "It just…sucks."

Knowing Yusuke as well as he did, Shuichi understood that he had taken things as far as possible without overstepping certain silent boundaries. Despite having matured a fair amount over the past several years, Yusuke was still considerably challenged by anything emotionally charged, and this particular topic was just that. He knew that if he pushed any harder, Yusuke would quickly become frustrated, if not angry, and entirely shut down—it was something he desired to avoid, not wishing to inspire future issues. If nothing else, he had satisfied the task Hiei had bestowed upon him—what Yusuke decided to do with the warning was his personal prerogative. For the sake of his friend, he hoped that he chose well.

"It's certainly an unpleasant situation to find yourself in, but I have every confidence that you will manage just fine," he offered, fixing his friend with a small supportive smile. Yusuke nodded his head in quiet agreement, but the glum look that had fallen over his façade remained. In light of this, Shuichi thought it best to change the subject matter to something far less serious.

"Well, I do need to head home to change," Shuichi announced, gesturing towards the end of the block with a hand. "I should be over at Akaitsuru within twenty minutes, or so."

"I'll see ya over there," Yusuke replied, suddenly abandoning his gloomy visage and exchanging it for a mild smirk, withdrawing one of his hands from its confinement within his pockets to shoot Shuichi a thumbs up. It was almost alarming the ease in which the Mazoku could flawlessly transition his façade between such dire extremes, but then again, he had been doing it for years, no doubt inspired at least partly by having a severely dependent alcoholic for a mother. These days, Atsuko was doing better, from the little Yusuke had shared on the subject, but she still refused to entirely abandon her vice—odds are that she never would. Much like her son, she was extremely stubborn and often impulsive. Having encountered her a handful of times over the years, Shuichi easily understood certain facets of Yusuke's complicated personality, able to recognize what characteristics had been born of the need to survive such a tumultuous childhood.

The boys parted ways, and within minutes, Shuichi found himself at home—the house was unusually quiet, and upon further inspection, he discovered that neither his mother's nor Kokoda's auras were present within the immediate vicinity. He slipped into the kitchen with the sole intention of checking for any correspondence that might have been left, and was rewarded with a brief note scribbled in Shiori's familiar hand. The scrap of paper was tacked onto the surface of the fridge via a small magnetic picture frame—the photo it housed was one taken at Christmastime nearly two years prior, while attending a small party thrown by his mother's company. In it stood him and Shiori, both finely dressed in festive colors and wearing bright, identical smiles as they posed together in front of a snowy holiday backdrop that had been provided for such use. Shuichi couldn't help the small smile that came to play across his lips at the sight as he reached over to liberate the note and quickly skimmed over it.

Through the message, he discovered that his mother was out having lunch with a coworker—it also informed him that Kokoda was over at a friend's house and wouldn't be returning home until later that afternoon. Although the absence of his family members was unanticipated, Shuichi found himself grateful for the tranquility of a silent space. He swiftly showered and groomed himself before changing into fresh clothes, selecting a pair of charcoal gray jeans, a wine colored button down shirt with quarter sleeves, and a well worn in pair of black loafers.

After a short evaluation of his appearance, Shuichi headed for the door, eager to make his way over to the destination that awaited him. He was admittedly in a fair mood—the difficult conversation he had prompted with Yusuke hadn't gone awry, and he viewed that as a considerable victory. He was quite eager to spend time with his friends, several of which whom he hadn't gotten an opportunity to see in quite some time, and, of course, there was Davina—the anticipation of seeing her was beyond potent. It was all he could do to keep his pace steady as he walked the short few blocks that separated him from his goal.

*Author's Note: First off, allow me to apologize for the ridiculously long amount of time it took me to complete and post this chapter. Between working two jobs and several other factors, I've had little time to write over the past month and a half, but I'm happy to report that should no longer be the case. I just started a new job with better hours and pay, and have been able to leave the previous two, so even with the overtime offered at the new one, I will still have more time to write. I want to thank you all for your patience with me, and further assure you that I have no intention of abandoning this story. My goal is to post a new chapter every two weeks, time permitting. On that note, I'd like to thank Lilymarine33, GlitchInUrSystem, KiranKiranKom, Serinity750, , gabmeh1, Inukurama24, Katsip12, midnightabyss23, Librarian90, Sasa1990, PurpleLemonadex3, , B.T.U Bijou, , and noncreativeusername for their add to favorites/following. A further token of my appreciation goes out to Katsip12 for leaving me a kind review, and a thank you to the lovely anonymous reader who was also nice enough to post a review for me. You guys are great, and I appreciate your patience with both me and the story. I have begun the next chapter, and I will have it posted the moment it is done. I hope everyone had a fun Halloween, and a wonderful Thanksgiving! I will have another chapter posted by Christmas, if possible. Again, all feedback is appreciated! Thank you, everyone!


	16. Chapter 16 - The Sight of You

Despite her lingering apprehension, Davina was in fairly high spirits as she began her venture over to the downtown district to rendezvous with Kazuma and his friends. With it being a Saturday, there were already a significant number of others out and about, many of whom were headed in the same direction as her. She kept to herself, her eyes gazing idly over the suburban landscape that surrounded her as she continued onward.

It was a drab fall day, punctuated by a brisk breeze and overshadowed by an ominously cloudy sky. Diminutive smatterings of sunlight attempted to poke through the thick gray haze, but with little success. In an effort to ward off the chill that raced through her as the icy wind whipped past, Davina zipped up the front of her lightweight black hoodie and slipped her hands into the pockets that hung at the sides. She found herself wondering if she would come to regret her outfit selection, as she had absentmindedly failed to check out the weather conditions before getting dressed for the day.

Due to the vagueness of the plans provided, she had opted to dress casual, selecting a pair of red tartan print leggings and a simple black wide-strap tank top, accompanied by the jacket she had almost decided against bringing along, but was now exceedingly grateful for. While she had eyed her favorite pair of suede boots, Davina had ultimately chosen her trusty black Converse—she knew without question that they were just the perfect amount of broken in to remain comfortable should she be on her feet walking around all day.

Once dressed, she had tamed her hair, allowing it to hang free rather than styling it, and applying her usual minimal standard of make-up. A quick examination in the full length mirror met with Davina's silent approval—she had been aiming for simplicity, and felt satisfied with her efforts. After brushing her teeth, she reached for her phone, curious to see if any further correspondence had appeared—there were updates within the group message, but all of it hailed from the collective of unknown numbers, and therefore, was rather inconsequential to Davina. Still, she scrolled through the responses, curious to see if Shuichi was among them. Disappointment followed when she realized that he was absent from the conversation, but she bit it back. If she recalled correctly, he had a morning shift to work before he was free to do as he pleased, and that could very well be the reason behind his lack of reply.

In spite of this, Davina suddenly felt compelled to message him outside of the group text, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, did just that. She kept the communication short and concise, not wanting to appear as if she were pathetically vying for his attention, but wanting to impart that she was indeed hopeful to see him in the very near future. '_Hope your mom is doing better today—maybe I'll see you later?_' She sent it along without bothering to reread the contents. The ball was in his court, so to speak. She had made her play, and now all that was left to do was wait. Following a swift spray of her perfume, Davina grabbed her purse and hit the door running, not wanting to run the risk of showing up late to the destination in question.

For some strange, unexplainable reason, an odd cloud of distress welled up within Davina's chest when her gaze fell upon what served as the access to a local park en-route to downtown Kaiden. Said trepidation only worsened as she grew closer, a sudden tightness gripping her heart in a manner that was most unpleasant. The black iron arch hung above the entrance in a way that could only be described as foreboding, and etched into the dark metal sat the venue's name—Yureihana Park.

After a momentary struggle to decipher the translation, Davina found herself vaguely wondering why the park bore such a bizarre name—even more concerning was the unknown reason as to why something seemingly harmless had prompted such a wave of dread to seize her when she walked within close proximity. She hadn't yet visited the park, despite having entertained previous urges to explore it, so there truly was no reason for the inexplicable fear that gripped her in its presence.

While certainly a curious reaction, Davina found herself unwilling to focus on the perplexing notion—she already had far too much on her mind and her nerves were beginning to twang with anxiety as the time for impending social interaction with strangers grew closer and closer. She would have to brave Yureihana Park another day and see if she could devise a worthwhile explanation, but for the moment, she thought it best to focus on her current task.

Within less than five minutes, she breached the street that began the downtown district of Kaiden—several blocks later, her objective came into view, perched near the center of a busy strip. The wide sign that sat above the glass doors read _Akaitsuru_ in vivid red neon, the faintly glowing kanji characters accompanied by a colorful backlit pizza slice. There was a sufficient crowd of people ambling leisurely to and from, amply enjoying the freedom afforded to them by their lack of obligations.

As Davina approached the restaurant, her attention was immediately drawn to the presence of a single female patron who stood alone just outside the entrance—it was the unique color of her hair that caught Davina's eye, a bright, powder blue hue. She couldn't help but quietly admire the odd shade, which somehow complimented the rose pink sweater dress the young woman was wearing. Since reaching her teenage years, Davina had entertained a quiet desire to dye her hair, at least in part, a crazy color, but had never followed through with such an urge—she knew her mother would disapprove, and it wasn't worth the heated argument that would inevitably follow. However, now with the distant that sat between them, perhaps she would revisit the idea.

Davina was only several yards away when a trio of other females appeared, approaching from the opposing side and walking in tandem towards the entrance. Among them was another girl with distinctively colored hair, a vivid seafoam green that immediately grabbed Davina's eye, if only for a moment. All were wielding an impressive collection of shopping bags, their arms weighing heavy with the effort of carrying their purchases. It was obvious from their mannerisms that they were familiar with the blue-haired girl, with whom they shared a warm greeting, exchanging words and friendly smiles as they walked up alongside her.

Not wanting to interrupt their conversation, Davina decided to halt her stride and stepped off to perch in front of a nearby store window as to avoid disrupting the flow of foot traffic on the sidewalk. After freeing her phone from the confines of her purse, she realized that it was still a good fifteen minutes until noon, and wondered how she should proceed. But her thought process was swiftly interrupted when she realized that there were new messages waiting within her inbox—upon further scrutiny, she learned that Shuichi had replied to both the group correspondence and her personal inquiry. He had indeed confirmed his intentions of attending, and the message he had responded with to her individual query prompted a small smile to unwittingly form upon the corners of her lips.

_'She's doing much better, thank you. You will definitely be seeing me. Hopefully, you're looking forward to it—I know I am.'_

A rush of relief flooded Davina as her eyes trailed over the text, accompanied by a quick burst of happy anticipation. Knowing that Shuichi would definitely be making an appearance immediately invigorated her—her mood swiftly altered from fair to nearly giddy, causing the smile she was entertaining to grow considerably.

By the time she looked up from her phone, the group of females that had been camping near the restaurant's entrance had disappeared from sight—now that the path was clear, Davina decided to head on inside and find a table to wait at until a familiar face wandered in.

The interior of Akaitsuru was deceptively spacious, something she would not have guessed given the diminutive presence of the entrance. There was plenty of seating available, despite the considerable number of patrons already present within. A collection of delicious smells filled her nose as she made her way past the counter, the distinct aroma of freshly baking bread and the heady scent of potent garlic prompting her mouth to salivate. She hadn't realized until that moment that she was actually hungry.

Carefully weaving her way through the throng, Davina claimed a single seat at a tiny table meant for two near the back corner of the pizzeria, the position affording her an open view of the entrance to keep an eye out for Kazuma or Shuichi. Shortly after perching down on the chair, she scanned the expanse of the dining room with mild curiosity, her gaze eventually coming to rest on the collective of girls she had first seen waiting by the entrance. There was something about the one with the lengthy dark hair and doe-like brown eyes that was somehow vaguely familiar to Davina—she had seen her somewhere before, she was certain of it. But for the moment, she failed to place where, which only served to further intrigue her. She withdrew her stare for fear of gaining unwanted attention from the group, but her curiosity was far from quelled.

The subtle vibration of an incoming text claimed Davina's attention—it hailed from the group message, originating from one of the unknown numbers.

_'Yukina, Shizuru, Keiko, and I are here. Where r u guys?'_

A soft gasp caught in Davina's throat as she read the contents, swiftly putting two and two together. She was quick to recognize the name Yukina from her previous conversations with Kazuma, and Keiko, as she recalled, worked over at that noodle shop she had visited one evening several weeks prior. If Davina remembered correctly, she was involved with Kazuma's friend, the guy with the heavily gelled black hair. She had first encountered him while shopping for her green sundress, and although their interaction had been brief, it had lingered in the back of her mind, both awkward and amusing at turns. Davina felt her ears grow warm, recalling the way Keiko and her partner, whose name she either did not know or couldn't remember overhearing, had openly fought over planning for a wedding during her visit to the ramen shop. It had been such an uncomfortable interlude that she had gotten out of there the moment she could manage such a thing.

A dull sensation of deeply seated dread washed over her in that moment—she had no desire to get involved in drama, and was starting to wonder if she had made a mistake by agreeing to come. It was far too late to back out, however, and she was determined to see Shuichi, so she gathered her wits and took a deep breath to calm herself.

Within the very next minute, the infamous male party appeared in the foyer, dressed in worn blue jeans and a loose fit green t-shirt, his dark hair carefully styled and a small smirk playing across his lips. He had barely stepped through the door way when the blue-haired girl stood up from the table to wave him over, smiling as she did so. Two of the remaining three girls all wore similar smiles on their faces, but Keiko's was a façade all its own, not quite a scowl nor a wince, but some unpleasant amalgamation of the two. One thing was for certain: she wasn't happy to see him. He seemed entirely unfazed by her sour glare, overlooking it with considerable ease that could only hail from years of practice.

Keiko's significant other had barely claimed a seat when Kazuma appeared, grinning from ear to ear as he approached the table. He had barely finished his hellos to everyone when his gaze flittered over to where Davina sat alone, and his brow immediately quirked in confusion.

"Hey, Davi!" he hollered from across the dining room, waving over at her with an eager hand. "Why are you hiding in the corner? Come over here and meet the gang!"

Davina fought the urge to sigh, forcing herself to smile instead as she attempted to keep her cheeks from flushing with embarrassment. She had hoped Kazuma wouldn't put her on the spot in such a way, but alas. She rose to her feet and made her way over to their table, hyper aware of the sudden close inspection she was under. Her throat grew tight and her belly did an uncomfortable flip, but she swallowed back her discomfort and attempted to willfully ignore their inquisitive stares.

"Guys, this is my friend, Davina," Kuwabara announced with an unwarranted flourish, holding his hand out in her direction as if he were presenting her in front of a studio audience. "Davi, this is Yukina, my girlfriend," he offered proudly, pointing to the demure girl with the soft green hair—Davina met her gaze, internally shocked to discover that her eyes were a shade of deep crimson. It was a striking color, but despite the stark contrast with her pastel hair, the strange combination worked well for her. She had never before seen red contacts that appeared so natural. She fixed Yukina with a small but friendly smile, but before she could say anything, Kazuma was onto the next person. "This is Keiko, her fiancé, Yusuke, and Botan," he continued, pointing to each party with a quick gesture of his finger. Davina glanced quickly from person to person, nodding her head in silent greeting.

"Aren't you forgetting someone, little brother?" the one girl who Kazuma had failed to place a name to spoke up, her voice tinged with a combination of mild amusement and slight annoyance as she fixed him with a mild glare. She appeared older, but not by much, and had a calm affect to her tone that Davina immediately found herself appreciating.

"Oh, yeah…that's my sister, Shizuru," he tacked on offhandedly, waving his hand in dismissal.

"It's nice to meet you, Davina," Botan quickly perked up, smiling warmly over at her. "Why don't you come sit here?" She pulled out a vacant chair alongside her, and Davina fixed her with an appreciative smile before slipping down into the seat.

"Thank you," she offered quietly, grateful for the kind gesture. "I…uhh…really love that hair color on you." It was an attempt to be friendly, and while it was far from an impressive conversation starter, it caused Botan's grin to widen considerably. Her eyes, which were not a pale shade of brown like Davina first thought, but an unusual hue of dark magenta, seemed to light up at the simple compliment. She opened her mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by Shizuru before the words she intended to speak could leave her lips.

"We should figure out what we want to eat so we can get this show on the road," she announced, gesturing towards the counter with a thumb.

Her comment had everyone nodding in agreement, and the next several minutes were spent perusing the small laminated menu cards that perched within a catch-all basket near the center of the table in relative quiet. Once decisions had been made, Shizuru offered to head up to place the large order, announcing that lunch was her treat for the outing.

"We're still waiting on Shuichi," Kazuma offered, prior to glancing down at his phone to ascertain the current time. "He should be here soon—just order an A-4 for him, that's what he always gets when we come here." Shizuru nodded her head in agreement, then rose to her feet, pausing for a brief moment as her gaze trailed across the table and met Davina's.

"Hey Davina, would you mind coming up there with me?" she asked casually, accompanying her request with a small smile. "I'll need help carrying the drinks over."

"O-of course," she replied, mildly surprised by the unexpected invitation, but eager to please as she rose up from her chair. Together, the pair made their way up to the counter, with Shizuru in the lead. They claimed the last space in the short line that had formed, and began the wait for their turn to be serviced.

"Sorry if I sort of put you on the spot back there," Shizuru offered softly. "You looked a little overwhelmed, so I thought a breather away from the crowd of new people couldn't hurt."

"No need to be sorry," Davina immediately replied, fairly impressed by her level of intuition. "You're entirely right—I _am_ a bit overwhelmed. Honestly, I've been pretty much on my own for a good while now, and meeting new people is always sort of stressful."

"Trust me, I get it. I'm not a super social butterfly myself," Shizuru admitted with a mild smirk. "But it's a good group, and my little brother thinks you'll fit in just fine—he may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he's a damn good judge of character."

A soft chuckle escaped Davina—the way Shizuru spoke of her sibling was reminiscent of her relationships with her own brothers, and she couldn't help but feel a small push of nostalgia.

"Kazuma has been very kind to me," she offered agreeably. "It certainly was sweet of him to invite me to join you guys today—I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all—in fact, he was all excited that you agreed to come. He said you and Shuichi hit it off pretty well after he introduced you two, so he was looking forward to you meeting everybody else," she responded firmly. The line ahead of them relocated forward, prompting them to do the same.

Shizuru's comment about Shuichi had Davina's cheeks flushing slightly with heat—she was curious just how much Kazuma was privy to about her and his companion. Shuichi certainly didn't seem like the type to gossip, or so it seemed. But thankfully, Shizuru either didn't seem to notice the reddening of her face or she was nice enough to not call any attention to it. The line moved onward once again, leaving only one person remaining between them and the counter.

"So, are you liking it here in Kaiden?" Shizuru inquired curiously. Davina was grateful for the change in subject, and once again, impressed by her perception—it was almost as if she could sense Davina's unease with the direction the conversation was currently heading in and had actively sought to avoid causing more.

"Very much—it's very different from my home in the states, but now that I've lived here for a while, it's definitely grown on me," she admitted, a small smile coming to perch at the corners of her lips. She couldn't help but pictured Shuichi's face in her mind's eye when she spoke the words out loud—she hoped he would be arriving soon.

Before Shizuru could respond, the patron that was standing in front of them took his leave, and it was their turn to approach the counter and place their orders. Following a quick verbal exchange, the order was placed and the pair were handed a collection of beverages to bring back to their table and distribute. Utilizing a pair of small trays, the girls carefully carried the drinks back to their destination—all the while, Davina was praying to any higher power that would listen to keep her arms steady and to keep her awkward clumsiness at bay, if only for a few short seconds.

The venture was a success, and they made their triumphant return to their group without any spills—what was almost better than not making an ass of herself by spilling everything everywhere was the sight of Shuichi's softly smiling face now present at the table. Their eyes met briefly as Davina placed the heavy tray down on the surface, and she couldn't help the smile that formed across her own lips, or the mild shiver of anticipation that raced its way down the length of her spine at the very sight of him.

_'Finally_…'

. . .

Shuichi was quick to spot his friends upon his arrival to Akaitsuru—he hadn't even stepped inside of the restaurant yet, spying their familiarity through the large plate glass windows that offered an internal view to bypassing eyes. Almost immediately, he noticed two missing parties—Shizuru was absent, as well as Davina. The lack of her presence suddenly prompted a rush of disappointment to flood through him—perhaps she had cancelled at the last minute? That would certainly put a significant damper on his day.

But his impedingly poor mood altered the moment he walked through the entrance doors and caught wind of her aura lingering nearby, accompanied by that of the missing Kuwabara sibling—Shuichi followed the pulse, his gaze swiftly falling upon the recognizable figure of the person he was eager to see. She stood alongside Shizuru as they waited their turn within the line to place orders, both of their backs turned to his curious stare. He couldn't help himself as his gaze dipped low, coming to linger on the ample curve of Davina's luscious backside. The red plaid printed leggings she wore only seemed to delightfully accentuate her already considerable curves, and he drank in the sight in silent appreciation as he quickly slipped past.

He approached the table hosting his companions, amused at the fact that none of them noticed his casual advance due to being distracted by their own lively conversation. With a swift grace, Shuichi slipped into one of the empty chairs that sat beside Botan and softly cleared his throat to announce his presence. The Grim Reaper's attention turned towards him in that instant, and she let out a happy squeal at the sight of him—of course, her reaction caught the notice of the others, and almost instantly, Shuichi was the focus of all of his friends.

"There you are! It took you long enough to get here!" Botan exclaimed, grabbing his arm and fixing it with a short squeeze as she smiled over at him.

"Hey buddy! Glad you could make it!" Kazuma offered with a wide grin that reached from ear to ear.

Yusuke simply fixed him with a quick nod, and Keiko attempted a brief smile in greeting, but it did not reach her eyes, which were quietly smoldering with obvious discontentment.

"It's nice to see you after so long, Shuichi!" Yukina said with a sweet smile, which he eagerly returned.

"My apologies for being late," he offered softly. "I got here as quickly as I could."

"It's all good—Shizuru and Davi are placing our orders, so I asked them to get you your usual. They should be back over here soon," Kazuma explained, gesturing towards the front counter. "We'll eat up and then head over to the arcade."

Before Shuichi could respond with his agreement, Davina and Shizuru were en-route back the table, carrying an impressive collective of disposal cups on circular plastic trays. It was obvious that Davina was concentrating on the task as hand, and the amount of focus she was putting into making sure her balance of the tray was maintained was almost enough to make him chuckle at the sight—he smiled instead, not wanting her to think the wrong thing if she caught him staring. It was just as well, for she noticed his presence just as she placed the tray down atop the table, meeting his eyes almost immediately. An endearing smile swiftly bloomed across her lips, which lit up her entire face in an instant, causing her hazel eyes to shine with a hypnotic glow that was almost ethereal to witness.

One thing was absolutely for sure—she was happy to see him.

Realizing that they were exactly one chair short, Shuichi rose from his current seat, gesturing for Davina to sit in his stead. She hesitated, if only for a brief second, before approaching his side and accepting the offered seat. As she relocated, he caught a whiff of her perfume, and found himself wishing he could be close enough to her to afford more than just a mere hint of that saccharine fragrance that clung to her skin. Quickly, he ventured over to a nearby table that was vacant and claimed one of the chairs that stood there. He returned with the seat in tow and placed it at the head of the table, which positioned him opposite of Yusuke, with Davina to his right and Kazuma off to his left. Shuichi found contentment with this arrangement, seeing as it permitted him to remain fairly close in proximity to her—he hoped that in doing so, it would ease her trepidation at being primarily surrounded by people she was not yet familiar with.

But much to Shuichi's surprise and silent pleasure, Davina seemed to be adjusting rather well to this group setting—as they awaited the arrival of their pizza, conversation among the group erupted, and she proved to be an active participant. It was obvious that his friends had taken a liking to her—even Yusuke cracked a smile at a joke she made. Keiko was the only one among them who remained stoic, saying very little. She occasionally shot a nasty glare in Yusuke's direction when she believed that no one was paying attention, but Shuichi was quick to notice her obvious disdain towards her fiancée. Given how much he was aware of as far as the situation between the pair was concerned, he hoped Yusuke decided to come clean to her sooner rather than later—while time was believed to better most things, this particular set of circumstances was not one of them.

Once the food arrived, the conversation came to a brief halt as everyone turned the bulk of their attention to their plates and began to eat. Shuichi eagerly devoured his margherita pizza, which was one of the pies that the Akaitsuru was best known for due to the unique flavor provided by the smoked mozzarella used in its creation. He hadn't realized just how hungry he was until the pizza was placed before him, and that first bite was heavenly. Davina, who had ordered the same, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her meal just as he was. It didn't take long for the group to eat their fill, leaving behind a collective of barren, sauce smeared plates and empty cups housing only half melted ice within their plastic confinements.

"So, what did ya think, Yukina?" Kazuma asked, leaning back in his chair and covering his mouth to suppress a small burp of satisfaction. "Pretty good, huh?"

"It was delicious," the ice apparition replied with a charming smile over at her significant other. "I'm so happy I finally got a chance to try pizza—thank you for taking me here."

"You're welcome, my sweet," he replied, beaming over at her with a wide grin, obviously proud of himself upon the reception of her accolade.

"Thanks for lunch, Shizuru," Davina chimed in softly, fixing the older Kuwabara sibling with a small nod of appreciation. Her statement prompted a similar display of gratitude from the others, including Shuichi. Shizuru smiled mildly at the acknowledgement, but was quick to alter the subject to their next destination.

"Now that everyone has stuffed their faces, let's get our asses down to the arcade," she announced with an authorities air as she rose to her feet. Everyone was quick to follow suit, and they left the restaurant in an odd sort of line, with Davina and Shuichi bringing up the rear.

Just as they crossed the threshold to the outside, Shuichi tapped her on the shoulder, quickly catching her attention and prompting her to pause in her stride forward. She turned to look at him, her eyes growing slightly wide with surprise at the unanticipated contact.

"Everything okay?" Davina asked immediately, her entire visage swiftly molding into one of concern.

"Yes, of course," he replied, fixing her with a reassuring smile. "I just felt as if I owed you an apology for the other evening."

"You've already apologized. You don't have to do so again," she replied, meeting his stare and holding it steady.

"Regardless, I'm sorry for disappointing you. I have every intention of making it up to you," he responded—on impulse, he reached out to grab her hand in his own. Her appendage was so demure and seemingly fragile within his, her skin warm and soft against the calloused flesh of his large palms. A small shudder appeared to race throughout her body at this simple touch, and her cheeks quickly flushed a soft shade of pink when he fixed her hand with a firm squeeze.

"And how are you planning on doing that?" she asked quietly, trying to suppress the smile that tugged at the edges of her lips. The touch that connected them lingered for another moment, disbanding when Shuichi released her hand from his firm grip.

Encouraged by her playful tone, Shuichi decided to toy with her a bit—it was an urge he couldn't resist, and one he was almost painfully keen to indulge, especially in light of their missed opportunity. Moving slowly, he stepped closer to her, leaning in just enough in proximity so that his lips hovered fairly close to her ear. The delectable scent of her perfume surrounded him then, and he inhaled the aroma deeply into his lungs, relishing its sweetness. He could hear the faint echo of her heartbeat as it grew mildly faster, and the soft, almost indistinguishable sound of her breathing catching ever so slightly in her throat in reaction to his approach. Shuichi fought to hold back a knowing smirk, rather enjoying the affect he was currently having upon her.

"I could tell you, but I much rather show you," he offered, his voice barely above a whisper, but heavy with not so innocent implications. Despite not touching her, he could sense the vibrations in the air that accompanied the subtle tremble that rocked her entire person in that instant.

"I'd like that," Davina replied softly, an obvious hitch in her tone despite her best efforts to keep her voice steady. Warmth radiated forth from her, accompanied by a new level to the unique scent of her skin, one that was heady and filled with want.

It was with great restraint that Shuichi pulled him away from her, wanting to continue their little lecherous exchange but not wanting to fall behind from the group or call unnecessary attention to their interaction. They locked stares once more as he returned to Davina's line of sight, and he fixed her with a knowing smirk, purposely dragging his eyes down upon the curve of her lips and lingering there for a brief second before reclaiming her gaze. It was a simple movement, but one that had the desired effect, making her sigh quietly.

Shuichi could hardly wait to make good on his words. He would certainly not be disappointing her this time around.

*Author's Note: Again, my apologies. Life has been beyond hectic since the posting of my last chapter back in mid December. Apart from having very little free time over the past month and a half, this chapter fought me like none of the others before it. Perhaps it was writer's block, a lack of inspiration, or my brain was just not willing to cooperate, but I had to re-write this particular chapter several times before creating a version I approved of. So again, I'm sorry for the insane wait, but I did not wish to half-ass a chapter and be unsatisfied with it. I've already started the next chapter, and if life permits, I'll try to have it posted by the end of next week. Since the holidays are over, there is little to no OT left at work starting this week, so I should have considerably more time to work on this. Again, I will not be quitting this story. It's a personal goal of mine to complete this damn thing, and I'm determined to make that happen. Please bear with me; I hate to make you guys wait for more, but I do appreciate those of you who hang in there and bear with me. A thank you goes out to CreamPuffnStuff, cezarina, SashaPayne56, LadyClassical, . 24601, Nightrode0, redrosesandfullmoons, and . for the add to favorites/following this story. And thank you to the lovely guest who left an encouraging review, your kindness is very much appreciated. I'm grateful to you guys for continuing to stick with me. I was also considering doing a series of drabbles/ficlets/short stories with the Shuichi/Davina pairing as a side project to this story, and the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season, and that the new year is treating you all well. As always, feedback is welcomed and appreciated!


	17. Chapter 17 - Close to the Flame

The venture over to the arcade was a short one, but for the entire duration of the three block journey, Davina felt as if she were walking on air. It was proving difficult to school her face—the urge to smile twitched urgently at the corners of her lips, no doubt inspired by the brief but intense exchange that had occurred between her and Shuichi only moments before. Lucky for her, he was currently bringing up the rear of their group, walking just shy of a step or so behind her as she trailed after Shizuru. Kazuma led the progression, Yukina alongside him, with those who remained amassed in between. Davina could feel the unmistakable pressure of his eyes digging into her posterior, and couldn't help but slightly exaggerate the sway of her hips as she continued onward, knowing that even such a subtle gesture would be noticed.

It was obvious from their previous banter that Shuichi had a fondness for teasing, and that he was exceptionally accomplished at the art. Davina, of course, was far from skilled, but wasn't about to allow her lack of experience to stop her from at least attempting to give him a taste of his own medicine. She prided herself on being a quick learner—apart from that, if his goal was to leave her wanting, it was only fair that he too should be left in a similar condition. And in truth, although she genuinely had forgiven him for the sudden cancellation of their previous plans, the idea of him finding creative methods in which to make things up to her certainly harbored a considerable amount of appeal—Davina was undoubtedly curious as to what he intended to do to accomplish such a thing, especially while they were in the company of his friends. That was sure to prove interesting…

Upon their arrival to their destination, which was appropriately named GameSpot, Davina admittedly was quite impressed—the arcade was massive, far larger than she ever would have anticipated, and teeming with a wide variety of games. As her eyes took in the new surroundings, she couldn't help but feel another brush of nostalgia—her brothers were both avid gamers, and had been ever since they were children. She too shared this appreciation, although her penchant for the hobby was far from their level of dedication. Between the three MacKenna siblings, many a birthday party had occurred at their local arcade as they grew—of course, the last of these instances had been a number of years prior, but regardless, Davina found herself smiling at the thought. Vaguely, she found herself wondering if GameSpot hosted her favorite arcade game—_Area 51_. It was an Atari classic from the mid-1990's, a light gun game in which the player was pitted with the task of killing aliens and zombies within a secret government facility.

While far from a unique concept, Davina had been obsessed with that particular game when she was a kid, and neither of her brothers, despite their skill, was ever able to top her at it. Unfortunately, the machine that lived at their nearest arcade back in Denver had experienced electrical issues and had been removed for repair shortly after her tenth birthday, only to never again return. She had been quite disappointed when she had discovered the fate of her favorite game, but had soon turned to _Mortal Kombat _to drown her sorrows—that had been Murphy's favorite game, and together, they had spent hours locked in virtual warfare, mashing buttons and slamming down joysticks in an attempt to best one another.

Given the massive collective of coin-op games present within the enormous space, there was a fairly decent chance that _Area 51_ was out there somewhere, and as silly as it was, Davina was excited to look for it. The group visited the cluster of machines near the prize counter to each acquire tokens, chatting amongst themselves about what games they were planning on playing. Once they had exchanged currency, they ventured off to their allotted destinations—Kazuma claimed Yukina, as anticipated, and led her over to the line of Dance Dance Revolution machines that sat at the opposing end of the prize exchange, boasting loudly about his skills. Yusuke took off without much of a word to anybody, and swiftly disappeared among the throng of people and machines, clutching a small collective of bronze tokens in his hand. Botan and Keiko decided to head to the area that hosted the skee-ball machines, and Shizuru was eying one of the vacant pool tables with obvious intent.

"You guys down for a round of pool?" she asked curiously, gesturing towards the unoccupied table with a thumb. "One on one, winner plays watcher?"

"Sounds fine to me," Shuichi replied with a small smile, glancing over at Davina with a curious eye as he awaited her response.

"I'm actually terrible at pool," she admitted sheepishly, an embarrassed chuckle escaping her lips. It was the truth—Davina had little prowess when it came to billiards. She much preferred foosball or table top hockey, both of which she was far better at.

"I will assist you, if you'd like," he offered without hesitation, and she found herself unable to refuse the proposition, nodding her head in agreement. The trio made their way over to the unpopulated table and claimed it for themselves, with Shizuru feeding the machine several tokens to free up the equipment they required to play. Upon the successful deposit of coin, the resin balls escaped their confinement, clattering as they fell into the channel—within seconds, they had gathered near the yawning tunnel at the table's head. The elder Kuwabara sibling deftly scooped them up, carefully arranging them within the perimeter of a plastic triangle—once satisfied with their position, she withdrew the implement moved along to the wall to select a suitable stick. Davina followed suit, handling several of the cue sticks before settling on one she believed to be a good match for her.

Upon their return to the pool table, Shizuru took the lead, positioning herself to take the break shot and officially begin their game. Her motion was fluid and subtly powerful, tapping the cue ball with enough force to successfully separate the congregation of colorful spheres and sending them flying in all directions. Perchance, one of the striped balls slipped quickly into a corner pocket, prompting Shizuru to smirk with satisfaction.

"Stripes," she quickly announced, then relocated her pose to line up her secondary shot. While spot on, she did not manage to sink any balls this time around, and took a big step back as Davina approached the table to make her play. Despite taking her time and lining up what she believed would be a triumphant shot, she hit the cue ball at an odd angle, sending it off in an aimless direction. It slammed into a small gathering of striped balls, bouncing off of them with a harsh clack before racing right into a center pocket. A loud sigh of defeat escaped Davina as she watched it disappear into the dark channel.

"Fuck," she growled beneath her breath, shaking her head as she stepped away from the space and once again approached Shuichi's side. It was obvious that he was attempting to disguise his mild amusement, but his efforts were meager at best.

"Go ahead and laugh," Davina announced, forcing back the childish urge to playfully smack his arm in protest. "I warned you that I was bad at this…"

"I'm sure you'll do better with a little coaching," he replied with a smile that was meant to encourage, despite the hilarity present in those vivid green eyes. "It certainly won't hurt…"

"Thank you so much for your support, it means the world," she retorted, her tone saccharine and heavy with sarcasm. A soft chuckle escaped him then, and Davina couldn't help but join in briefly. Now that it was once again the elder Kuwabara sibling's go, Shizuru managed another perfect hit, landing yet another of her striped spheres into a central pocket. Her follow-up shot was almost as good, except for the unfortunate descent of the white cue ball as it fell in behind the red ringed number eleven ball.

"Damn it," Shizuru grumbled, sucking her teeth in disapproval. "I knew I was gonna scratch it…your turn, Davi. Just a friendly hint, aim for number six. Don't make this too easy on me now." It was a good natured rib, one with a small smile that followed suit—Davina returned to the table, this time with Shuichi in tow. After liberating the white cue ball, she placed it in what she believed would be an ideal location, only for Shuichi to politely interrupt her by gently clearing his throat.

"If I might make a suggestion, perhaps you should consider placing the ball here," he offered quietly, pointing at a spot along the green woolen fabric of the billiard table that seemed an odd choice for the shot she was attempting to sink. She raised a brow at him quizzically, only for him to nod his head in a reassuring manner. "The angle you will get from this position will be easier for you to land the hit," he explained, tracing out an invisible trail with a single finger to help her visualize the intention.

He was correct—the location he had selected was a much better option. Confident that she would have success this time around, Davina moved to position herself, only to gasp with surprise at the unanticipated presence of Shuichi's lithe form pressing casually against her own. With deft hands, he guided her into a striking pose, painstakingly positioning her elbow and arms with gentle movements. This sudden closeness sent a rush of warmth to swell all throughout Davina's body, only made more profound by the heat that poured forth from his skin and the delightfully masculine aroma of his cologne as it temptingly flooded the short space between them.

"There—now, try to relax the tension in your shoulders," he counseled softly, his voice hardly above a whisper as it slipped gently into her ear. The heat of his breath caused a sudden tingle to race down the length of her spine, resulting in an involuntary shudder. "Perfect—take a short breath, and tap the cue as your exhale…" Swiftly, Shuichi removed himself from alongside her, taking a calculated step back to provide her with enough space to fulfill her play.

Somehow, Davina managed the task at hand without faltering, despite the multitude of welcomed distractions that surrounded her. As predicted, the hit was a winning one—the cue slapped against the green ball, providing the ideal amount of force to send it rolling directly into the center left pocket. It disappeared with a flourish, and a victorious cry of excitement escaped Davina before she could think to compose herself.

"Yes! Got one!" she announced elatedly, turning around to fix Shuichi with a wide, triumphant grin. He nodded in satisfaction, making no effort to hide the delight encouraged by her candor.

"Nice shot, Davi," Shizuru offered with an approving nod from where she stood, a tiny but knowing smirk resting casually across her lips. Davina acknowledged her accolades with a smile before returning her attention to her mentor.

"Thanks for the assist," she said softly, still riding the mild high of her achievement.

"You're quite welcome—now, try it once more…the number two ball, left corner pocket," he advised, pointing towards the lone blue ball that hung in close sight of the cue. Davina did as he suggested, and mimicked her efforts from the previous interaction—once more, she managed to sink the ball, but this time around, hit the cue with a bit too much force, scratching out.

"Damn it," she hissed, watching the white ball tumble into the pocket with mild disappointment.

"Still a decent hit," Shuichi encouraged as she stepped away from the pool table so that Shizuru could make her play. The remainder of the game continued on in this manner—with Shuichi's help, Davina played what amounted to being her most successful game of billiards ever within the history of her existence. For a good stretch of time, it was a close competition— but in the end, she lost to the elder Kuwabara sibling, who had hit her stride and managed to sink all of her remaining stripes, completing her streak by burying the eight ball in the right corner pocket. Davina conceded with grace, returning her stick to its home as Shuichi prepared the table for the next game.

"I'm going to wander around for a bit while you guys play," Davina announced as they made ready to begin. Both nodded their heads, although for the briefest second, she could have sworn that she witnessed mild disappointment flash across Shuichi's face at her proclamation of departure. "I'll be back in a bit," she assured, not wishing to cause any discontentment, but eager to explore the arcade for herself. "Good luck with the game!" Davina took her leave then, heading towards the back area of the massive building. If _Area 51_ did exist within the confines of GameSpot, she was going to find it and willfully indulge her nostalgia. With an excited spring in her step, she took off towards the posterior of the vast arcade, intent on working her way forward.

. . .

Shuichi watched with a mildly curious eye as Davina ventured off, her petite form eventually disappearing into the distance. It was the sound of his name being called that brought him back into reality, managing to free him of the mental trance he had failed to realize himself a captive of.

"Earth to Shuichi—you alive over there?" Shizuru questioned, her tone more amused than annoyed at his lack of attentiveness.

"Yes, sorry about that," he replied, meeting her gaze and fixing her with an apologetic smile. "Did you wish to break again, or shall I?"

"I'll do it, you seem to be a bit...distracted," she replied, albeit in a playful manner. She moved into position and began the game, but failed to manage any successful hits straight out of the gate this time around.

"My apologies," he responded quickly, suddenly feeling sheepish. Shizuru was correct, however—he was unfocused, and it was proving somewhat difficult for him to regain his will. The appetizing aroma of Davina's perfume lingered within his nostrils, and the tactile memory of her body pressed flush against his kept prompting little bursts of heat to pulsate deep within his flesh. The voice of the mental entity that dwelled within himself, despite having been fairly quiet since the discovery of her desire towards him, growled softly, desiring more of that physical connection.

Shizuru chuckled and shook her head at his reply. "Relax, I'm just giving you a hard time," she explained, which eased the tension in his shoulders a bit upon the realization that she wasn't genuinely irritated with his lapse of attention. "You like her, I get it. It's pretty obvious that she likes you, too."

A soft sigh escaped Shuichi at her observation, and, following a brief pause, his nodded his head in agreement. "I am rather fond of her…"

"Well, then maybe you should do something about it," the elder Kuwabara suggested bluntly, pointing towards the pool table in a nonverbal invitation for him to take his turn. Shuichi moved forward to position himself, and managed to net one of the solid balls into a middle pocket with ease.

"I intend to," he replied firmly, relocating to a different spot to line up a second shot. He sunk yet another ball, nearly scratching out in the process, but somehow managing to narrowly avoid the mistake. "I'm simply waiting for the right moment." His third turn was glaringly unsuccessful, missing all targets and bouncing off of a felted edge before coming to rest alongside a small cluster of striped balls.

"The right moment, huh? Does that clichéd Prince-Charming-style approach still work?" she asked with a smirk, quirking an eyebrow over at him.

"Hasn't failed me yet," Shuichi retorted with a dry chuckle. "I take it you have a better suggestion?"

"Yeah—screw the waiting. Make it the right time," Shizuru replied simply, her teasing tone taking on a more serious air. "The tension between you two is ridiculous. And don't get me wrong, I like Davi, but there's no way in hell she's going to be the one to make the first move."

"What makes you say that?" he asked, genuinely inquisitive as to how she came to such an idea. This examination hardly came as a surprise, but given Shizuru's razor sharp intuition, Shuichi was curious to hear her explanation regarding said notion. In truth, he was also eager to see if she could divine any other pertinent information regarding Davina's undesired ties to the demon realm. He knew it was a poor attempt, but since the opportunity had presented itself, he wasn't about to dismiss it.

"She's soft—it's not a bad thing, necessarily, but it's easy to see that she's unsure of herself when it comes to a lot of things. My bet would be on past emotional trauma, but then again, everyone has baggage. I'd say odds are she's been sheltered and lacks experience—confidence, too, in certain ways." Shizuru positioned herself and played her turn, narrowly missing her hit. She sighed in mild annoyance at her miscalculation as she stepped back and returned her attention to her companion.

"Quite the psychological profile you've put together there," Shuichi responded, but with a small smile to show that he meant it in a good natured way. "Anything else I should be aware of?"

"Only that Kazuma is going to take all the credit for introducing you guys once you start dating," she offered dryly, rolling her eyes just as the words left her lips. They both laughed in spite of themselves, with Shuichi shaking his head.

"Can't say that I'm surprised in the least," he replied, turning his gaze to the table to plot out his next turn. He felt strangely relieved that Shizuru had nothing concerning on her radar pertaining to Davina—it might have been a false sense of peace, but he knew the elder Kuwabara well enough to discern that if she had sensed anything off, she would have indeed shared such things. Her mental assessment of Shuichi's intended rang true—he had deduced much of the same regarding Davina, but saw the things she lacked as an opportunity rather than a burden. It was easy to see that she would be quite a willing student, which inspired him to be eager to teach her.

Shuichi's mind began to wander off as the game continued, swiftly consumed by decidedly lecherous thoughts concerning some of the subjects he was enthusiastic to instruct her on. Perhaps he would take Shizuru's advice and mold the situation to his advantage—he couldn't see a downside to such a thing, and as the age old adage went, there was no time like the present.

Encouraged by this, he began to formulate a plan, carefully considering his options.

. . .

After strolling the entire length of the huge arcade, Davina found herself disappointed to discover that GameSpot did not host the game she had been hoping to play. However, despite the lack of _Area 51_, she did manage to come across _Mortal Kombat II _during her travels, which alleviated her discontentment some. She returned to the cabinet, pleased to find that the game was currently unoccupied, and immediately deposited the correct amount of tokens to begin playing. In the first _Mortal Kombat_, Scorpion was always her go-to character, so she selected him for her play-through and commenced the fight.

Within seconds, Davina was consumed by the game, focusing entirely on the task of kicking some virtual ass and forgetting the world around her. She made it all the way to the secondary boss, Shang Tsung, before a miscalculation in the second round caused her to lose her streak and become the victim of a fatality move. Even with this loss, she managed to earn a lower spot on the leader-board, and typed in her trio of letters as _DAV_ with a small smirk.

"Not bad," a familiar voice called out from behind her, effectively startling her—Davina had failed to realize that she had company, and was more than a little surprised to see Yusuke lurking there, his arms tucked firmly over his chest and curiosity present in his dark eyes. She swallowed hard, attempting to shake off the unpleasant feeling of her space being infiltrated by someone she hardly knew.

"Think you can do better?" Davina retorted somewhat callously, eying him warily. Out of all of Kazuma's friends, he was the only one she found difficult to read—unlike the others, he hadn't been friendly or forthcoming with conversation, and, if she took their previous interaction into account, he was brazen and somewhat disrespectful. However, Yusuke couldn't have been entirely awful—Davina couldn't see Shuichi maintaining a friendship with someone who was genuinely terrible. But to him, she was a stranger, an outsider—he didn't owe her kindness or a good attitude. Odds are, she'd have to earn those things, and at the moment, Davina wasn't sure if she wanted to put forth the effort required to do so.

"Considering those are _my_ initials in the second spot from the top, yeah," Yusuke replied dryly, but with a faint hint of amusement in his tone. Davina glanced up at the high score table curiously, her eyes taking in the sight of _YuU_ in the exact position he lay claim to.

"Well, shit," she replied with a sardonic chuckle. "Maybe you want to go a few rounds and put me in my place?" Having grown up with older brothers, Davina knew exactly how to prove a point when it came down to matters of attitude—beat them at their own game. She wasn't entirely sure she'd emerge victorious, but knew on some level that Yusuke would dislike her a little less for the attempt.

"Hey, if you wanna have your ass kicked, then who am I to say no? Let's go," he replied with a smug smirk, stepping up to lay claim to the second player controls. Simultaneously, they deposited their tokens and selected their characters—Davina again chose Scorpion, and Yusuke, either in some unspoken act of irony or sheer gall, selected Sub Zero. She couldn't help but appreciate the nod to the canon of the first _Mortal Kombat_ storyline, whether it was intentional or not.

The game commenced—Yusuke took the first round, but Davina annihilated him in the second, finishing him with a signature fatality that caused him to groan out loud in irritation. The third round was neck and neck, but Davina managed to emerge victorious, cheering loudly as the pixelated letters proclaiming Scorpion's win flashed across the screen.

"What was that about kicking my ass?" she asked with a saccharine grin, elated with her success. Truthfully, she half expected her opponent to storm off in a rage, angry that he had been bested. But much to her surprise, Yusuke fixed her with a bemused smirk and asked for another round. She was quick to agree—this time, it was Yusuke who claimed the win, besting her in the second and third bouts. Davina asked for yet another rematch—back and forth they went, getting rather involved in their competition and losing track of time.

In a match that ended with Davina's win, Yusuke moved to re-up his coins, only to realize that he was out of tokens.

"I'm tapped," he announced after digging around in his pockets and coming up empty.

"Same here," Davina replied, chuckling at their shared predicament.

Once again, Yusuke surprised her by joining in the mirth and shaking his head.

"Gotta say, that was one hell of a good time," he offered, fixing her with a genuine grin. It was wide and goofy to witness, but endearing, and for the first time that day, Davina actually felt herself feeling fond of Yusuke despite their unpleasant start.

"Yeah, it really was," she responded with a smile of her own. "Lost track of who kicked whose ass, though."

"So did I. Guess we'll just call it square for the time being—until next time."

"Next time?" she inquired, quirking a quizzical brow in his direction with a mild smirk on her face.

Yusuke opened his mouth to reply, only for his attention to get drawn elsewhere.

"Hey, buddy, how goes it?" he asked quickly, prompting Davina to turn around and follow his gaze, her eyes falling on Shuichi's face. Immediately, a smile stretched across her lips, happy to see him there.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we were thinking of heading out shortly," he announced, studying the two with a curious stare. "It's almost five, and according to Kazuma, there is a small autumn festival happening over in Hoshi Square that he would like us all to check out."

"Holy crap, is it really that late already?" Davina asked quietly, honestly surprised by how much time had passed by. She had been so enthralled with the game that she had failed to even consider how long they had been involved in it.

"Times flies when you're kicking ass," Yusuke chimed in without hesitation.

"Or when you're getting your ass kicked," she retorted, prompting them both to chuckle.

"Shall we find the others?" Shuichi asked pointedly, his question eliciting nods from both of his companions.

"I'll get 'em," Yusuke offered graciously. "Just go wait by the entrance."

"Are you certain you don't want help?" Shuichi inquired, but Yusuke took off before he could finish his question, leaving him and Davina alone in each other's company.

"To the front, then?" she asked quietly, and he nodded in agreement. Together, they began their venture towards the exit, keeping pace with one another.

"How did your pool game go?" Davina asked curiously as they walked.

"I won the first and the third, but Shizuru bested me in the second," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders. Davina suddenly felt like a jerk—she certainly hadn't meant to be away for so long, and perhaps it was just her brain playing games with her, but she could swear that there was an air of mild disappointment clouding the space over them.

"Well, that's great. I'm sorry I was absent—I got a little distracted," she admittedly awkwardly.

"No need to apologize—I'm happy you were enjoying yourself." His words rang true, quelling the worst of Davina's concerns. They reached the entrance to GameSpot, selecting a vacant space off to the side of the double doors to linger within until the rest of their group reunited. She decided it best to turn her attention onto what lie ahead rather than dwell on the previous happenings.

"What is Hoshi Square?" she asked, interested in learning more about their intended destination.

"It's a park near the center of the down town district," Shuichi explained. "Rather small, but quaint. There's always some manner of festival or even going on there."

"Sounds charming."

"It is. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"Even more so because I'll have you for company," Davina offered softly, fighting the urge to look away even as the warmth flooded her face. She wasn't making an attempt at flirting, just indulging in a sentimental moment. Shuichi accepted her statement with a gentle smile, suddenly reaching over to claim her hand with his.

"I'm glad you feel that way," he replied, fixing her appendage with a firm squeeze as his gaze bore down into hers. As if propelled by some unseen force, Davina took a step forward, suddenly feeling as if she were mildly intoxicated. Her eyes moved of their own accord, dropping down from the emerald hue of Shuichi's stare and finding their way down to the curve of his lips—they looked inviting, even more so than she could recall from the last interaction that had led to a similar position. The urge to kiss him in that moment was maddening, with nearly every fiber in her body yelling at her to seal the deal and take what she wanted. Their hands were still clasped together, his fingers carefully weaving themselves against hers.

"Did you need something?" Shuichi asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or was there something you wanted?" His salacious tone suggested he knew full well the sort of effect he was having upon her in that moment, but she could hardly hear his words over the echo of her own heartbeat as it drummed within her ears. Her eyes reconnected with his, and she felt her loins clench at the hunger she saw there, lingering vividly in those bright green orbs. There was no mistaking the desire present there, and yet, Davina felt herself hesitate, unwilling to pull the trigger and press her lips to his.

"What do you want, Davina?" he questioned, sensing her uncertainty but holding back, not wanting to overstep his boundaries. She swallowed hard, inhaling a quick breath sharply into her lungs, willing herself to act despite her mind's refusal to cooperate.

"I want…"

"Hey guys! You ready to head over to the Square?"

Kazuma's question, spoken from a not so expansive distance, snapped Davina out of her haze and kicked her back into the grasp of reality. Immediately, she stepped away from Shuichi, freeing her hand from his and putting distance between them as she turned her attention in the direction in which her friend's voice hailed from. The entirety of the group were standing there, watching them like a sort of awkward studio audience—it was blatantly obvious from the collective of expressions playing across their faces that they were quite privy to what had been about to occur just prior to their approach.

Despite the rush of fire that blossomed all across her face and turned her cheeks a potent shade of crimson, Davina fixed them all with a bashful smile, knowing full well there was little point in making any excuses or attempting to play things off. She glanced over at Shuichi, who had an odd, hard to read expression playing across his visage—it was a strange combination born of amusement, frustration, and something else that she couldn't quite place.

"Yeah, we're ready," she replied softly, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably. Kuwabara's wide grin made him look reminiscent of the Cheshire Cat from _Alice in Wonderland_ lore—he knew full well what he had interrupted. But much to Davina's relief, he opted to stay silent rather than tease.

"Well, let's get going, then."

*Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm officially back from my hiatus, and again, I offer more apologies because I took far longer than I originally anticipated to get this written. With this virus going around and all of the insanity with it, my personal life has been kind of a mess. I'm sure many of you can relate and are in a similar situation. I got furloughed from my new job at the end of March, not long after moving into a new place. The impromptu vacation would be wonderful, if I was still collecting a paycheck. But like so many others, I'm battling the monster that is unemployment and fighting to keep myself afloat in these severely uncertain times. Of course, because of the stress and overall feelings of fuckery, I've had no creative drive whatsoever. But I'm making an attempt to collect myself and trying to maintain a sense of normalcy (save for the staying up all night and sleeping away most of the day—my night-owl tendencies are in full effect, which is going to suck a considerable amount of ass once I have to return to work), so I drove myself to write. It took a few attempts to produce something I approved of, but here it is, as long last. Thank you to Pepper0, TheWalkingRed, GodzillaSquatch91, saiyuri03, ImperfectionPerfection, ZakuroO, Ice of Serenity, and Tears of Forgotten Shadows for the favorite/follow. Again, I thank you for your continued patience, and give you my appreciation for hanging on. I wish you all well, and hope that you are staying safe and healthy. I've started the next chapter, and plan to post it by the end of April. I still do plan to do the series of drabbles/ficlets/short stories with the Shuichi/Davina pairing side project, so if you have any ideas/suggestions you'd like to see, feel free to send them in. As always, any correspondence/feeback is much appreciated. Take care, everyone!


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